


Magic of the Stars

by LuluMarie



Series: The Twin Stars of Fairy Tail [1]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: BADASS LEVY!, BAMF Levy McGarden, Complete, Erza is jealous, Erza starts becoming bitter, F/M, Jellal angst, Kinda Smart Happy!, Levy is a good bro, Lisanna puts her foot in her mouth, Lucy leaves the guild to train, Meredy is a good bro, Sassy Happy!, Songfic, Sort Of, THIS IS JELU!!, Ultear is gone, Wendy and Carla go with her, protective Levy McGarden, that makes me sad, which means Jellal/Lucy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-01-20 20:24:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 109,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21287660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuluMarie/pseuds/LuluMarie
Summary: Lucy feels that she’s weak because she lost both her battles in the Grand Magic Games and allowed her future self to die.She feels even worse when Natsu doesn’t let her go on a mission with him and Happy. So she decides to temporarily leave the guild to become stronger.Overhearing her conversation with Makarov, Wendy and Carla go with her.Can you imagine who they run into?This is a JeLu story! Which means it will be a Jellal and Lucy romantic paring. DO NOT say I didn’t warn you. COMPLETE!COMPANION FIC ‘TWINKLING STARS’ IS NOW OUT!
Relationships: Jellal Fernandes/Lucy Heartfilia
Series: The Twin Stars of Fairy Tail [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1768402
Comments: 17
Kudos: 121





	1. Chapter One

It's been three months since the Grand Magic Games. And for a certain Celestial Mage, it's been three months since the most humiliating moments of her life and one of the most tragic moments of her life came to pass.

Inside the guild of Fairy Tail, you'd find her sitting at the bar, sipping a strawberry smoothie and lost in her thoughts. She was thinking back to those particular moments that causes her heart to clench painfully each time they cross her mind.

Lucy Heartfilia, in a word, was depressed, but she did a good job of not showing it. Thinking back on what made her feel useless. What were these things? Her fights against Flare and Minerva of course. That, and the fact she saw herself die.

Lucy's hand around her cup tightened as she thought about the fights she had. The way Flare and Minerva totally humiliated her. The way she openly _cried_ in front of everyone and had to be carried out by Natsu.

And then, the way she saw herself die. True, it was her from the future, but it was still her.

_If I was faster, if I was quicker, then I could've dodged the attack Future Rogue threw at me and she wouldn't have had to take the hit from me. She wouldn't have died._

"Lucy? Are you okay?"

Lucy was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of Mira's voice. She looked up at the retired model and gave her a smile. "Hai, I'm fine Mira-chan. I'm just thinking 'bout something is all," Lucy answered her.

Mira raised an eyebrow. "Would that 'something' happen to be a boy?" she asked an embarrassed Lucy.

Lucy turned the color of Erza's hair. "No, of course not!" she denied, her hands thrown up in front of her in denial.

Mira giggled. "It's okay Lucy, you don't have to talk about it. After all, you are an attractive young girl, ne?" she teased as she walked away to attend to someone else, leaving behind a very flustered Lucy.

How can I even think about a guy right now? I don't think I need that, at least not yet.

"Lu-chan!"

Lucy was once again brought out of her thoughts by her best friend. "Levy-chan!" she said excitedly as she sat down next to her.

"Did you finish the next chapter of your book?" Levy asked.

Lucy shook her head. "No, not yet. I still have to write a couple paragraphs before I'm finished with it," she said ruefully.

"That's okay Lu-chan. Just make sure I'm the first person to read it," Levy said as she started to get up.

Lucy smiled at her. "Okay Levy-chan!" she called after her retreating form.

Lucy sighed as she took another sip from her smoothie and looked around. She went on a job yesterday by herself because she couldn't find Natsu so she was hoping to find him in the guild today. Not seeing any sign of him, she finished her smoothie, left the money for it on the bar, and headed out of the guild.

On her way home she waved to various people who said hello to her.

_At least they don't seem to be ashamed of me. They don't care that I've humiliated myself in front of hundreds of people._

As always, Lucy walked on the edge of the sidewalk, but being careful not to fall in.

"Hiya Lucy-san!" one of the boatman called out to her. "Be careful not to fall in!"

Lucy laughed at the familiarity of the situation. "I won't!" she called back.

Soon enough, Lucy reached her apartment. As she went upstairs to her room she thought about the job she took yesterday. It was a relatively easy one with really good pay, so she managed to give the money she owed to her landlady.

She entered her apartment and put her keys (magic and non-magic) on the table after she shut the door. Deciding that tonight would be would be an early night for her, Lucy grabbed her pj's from her drawer and headed to the bathroom. Ten minutes later she felt totally refreshed as she walked out of her bathroom wearing her shorts and t-shirt - and almost had a heart attack after seeing Natsu casually sitting on her bed.

"Natsu! Don't scare me like that," she scolded him, a hand over her racing heart.

"Sorry," he grinned sheepishly at her.

"Whatever, it's fine," Lucy said as she walked into her kitchen for a glass of water. "Anyway, what are you doing here? And where's Happy?"

"Well, Happy's waiting outside," Natsu's voice said. The obvious tension and apprehension in it made her wary.

"So what are you doing here?" she asked as she walked back into the room.

Natsu rubbed the back of his head, a nervous habit he hadn't gotten rid of.

_Just say the words Natsu. You know she'll just be mad and become more upset if you keep it from her._

Natsu took a deep breath and said, "Happy and I found a job that pays 700,00J."

Lucy's eyes widened at that. "Really? Wow, I'd be able to pay my rent for months with that!" she said excitedly.

Seeing her obviously excited expression, Natsu inwardly cringed at the thought of what he's about to say next. "Uh, Luce?" he said.

She looked back at him with a smile. "Hai? What is it Natsu?" she asked him.

Looking at anything but her face, Natsu said, "W-Well...the thing...uh, I-I just want it to be me and Happy."

Silence filled the room as Natsu said the words he dreaded to say to his best friend. Chancing a glance at her, he nearly flinched at the expression on her face. She looked so hurt and vulnerable.

_W-What did he just say? He doesn't want me to come?_

"Y-You don't want me to come?" Lucy asked, and inwardly cursed the way her voice trembled.

"That's not it! I-It's just that...this job is really hard," Natsu said to her.

_And he thinks that I'm too weak to handle it. I could handle anyone else saying I'm weak, but hearing it from him really, really hurts. Wait, what's that shattering sound? Oh, that's just my heart breaking._

Determined to hide her true feelings, Lucy faked a bright smile at him. "That's okay! I just took a job yesterday so my rent isn't in immediate danger," she said to him brightly.

But Natsu didn't look so convinced. "Are you sure?" he asked her.

Lucy nodded at him, smile still planted on her face. "Yep! Don't worry about it. By the way, how long will the job take?" she asked, hoping to change the subject.

Natsu smiled. "About a week, maybe more," he said.

"Okay! Well, you should go. You don't want to miss your train," Lucy said to him.

Natsu smiled, although his face paled a little at the mention of the train. "Alright, see ya Luce!" he said as he jumped out the window.

"We'll pick you up a souvenir!" Lucy heard Happy shout.

She went to the window and made sure that Natsu was far enough away before she turned off all the lights, collapsed on her bed, and started crying.

She cried over the fact that she wasn't as strong as she wanted to be, physically or emotionally.

And she cried over the fact that her closest friend seemed to think so

_Well no more, enough is enough. Tomorrow I will go straight to Master and tell him what I plan to do. I will get strong enough._


	2. Chapter Two

Sunlight streamed through Lucy's window, causing the young blond to start to wake up. At first, she pulled the covers over her head to block it out and go back to sleep, but the memories of the events from last night quickly flooded her mind and she sat up. Blinking her eyes to clear away the blurriness, Lucy quickly got out of bed and went to the bathroom.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she flinched at her reflection. Her eyes were red and slightly puffy, her face was splotchy, and you could see the path her tears made on her skin.

_What would people think if they saw me like this? Would this confirm their thoughts on how weak I am? _

Quickly shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she splashed water onto her face before she jumped in the shower. While in there she made sure to wash her face more than anyplace else. When she got out, she checked the mirror again and saw that her face was back to normal, although it was a little pink from all the scrubbing.

Lucy then went about her daily routine. Brushing her teeth, putting her clothes on, and doing hair and a little makeup.

She grabbed her keys off the table and glanced around the room before she left. She made her way to the guild slower than she usually does. She was thinking about what she was going to do once she got there.

_I can't let anyone know what I'm about to do, they'd want to talk me out of it. I won't be dissuaded from this. This needs to be done. I _need_ this to be done. _

Lucy arrived at the guild and took a deep breath before she pushed the doors open.

"Ohayo Minna!" she shouted to everyone.

"Ohayo!" they shouted back.

She went over to the bar and ordered a strawberry smoothie as she always does. Mira placed it in front of her with a smile and walked away to attend to someone else. She drank her smoothie, her thoughts causing her to be distracted.

_I need to act as if nothing is wrong. But, I guess, nothing is wrong. My mind is set and nothing is going to change it. _

"Lucy-nee?"

Lucy was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of someone calling her name. She looked around and saw Wendy walking towards her with Carla held in her arms.

She smiled at her as she waved. "Hey, Wendy! How are you?" she said to her.

Wendy smiled at her before she sat on the seat beside her. "I'm good. How about you? I noticed that you have a preoccupied air about you. Is everything alright?" she asked with her head cocked to the side in confusion.

Lucy stilled slightly.

_She noticed? _

Lucy smiled at her, though it was forced. "Hai, I'm fine, just thinking about ideas for the book I'm writing," she lied.

Wendy looked at her carefully. "If you say so Lucy-nee," she said to her.

Carla, however, was staring at her intently and wasn't convinced by her lie. But Lucy and Wendy didn't notice her stare.

Lucy's eyes glanced around the guild and saw that everyone was either occupied or out on a job. Looking back at Wendy she said, "I need to go talk to the master about something."

Wendy looked startled. "What? Why? Is everything okay?" she asked worriedly.

Lucy ruffled her hair and smiled again. "Hai, everything's fine," she said. And this time, she wasn't lying.

_Everything _will_ be fine. Once I do what I got to do. _

Wendy looked at her. "Okay then," she said with a smile.

Lucy grinned and stood up. "Alright, see ya later Wendy!" she called over her shoulder as she headed up the stairs to the master's office. She took a deep breath before she knocked on the door.

"Come in," Makarov's voice called from inside.

Lucy opened the door and stepped inside.

~wWw~

Wendy and Carla watched as Lucy stepped into Master's office.

"Something's not right child."

Wendy looked down in her arms at Carla. "What do you mean?" she asked her.

Carla sighed as she hopped out of Wendy's arms to sit on the bar. "Well, for starters, Lucy lied earlier about why she was distracted. Plus, her wanting to talk to the master without giving a valid reason is very suspicious. I've got a bad feeling," she said with a frown.

Wendy frowned slightly as well as she considered Carla's words and glanced back at Master's door.

_Lucy-nee, what's going on? _

~wWw~

"Hello Lucy," Master said graciously as he looked up from the pile of papers on his desk. "What can I do for you, my child?"

Lucy braced herself for the words she was about to say. "W-Well Master…see t-the thing is...I-I need to temporarily leave the guild," she said quietly.

Master paled after hearing her utter those words. "W-What? Why would you want to do that?" he asked, completely shocked.

Lucy looked away as she considered what to say next. "T-The thing is...I want to get stronger. I...I know that some of you think I'm fine the way I am but..._I'm_ not. I want to get stronger. I _have_ to," she said as sternly as she could.

Master Makarov bowed his head, understanding her words but not really wanting to accept them. "I see. Is there anything I can say that can change your mind?" he asked, not really expecting her to say so.

Lucy shook her head and smiled sadly. "No, I'm afraid not. This is something I need to do," she said.

Master looked back up at her and smiled. "I understand my child. Do you know when you'll be coming back?"

Lucy frowned a little as she thought about it. She then shook her head. "I'm not sure. But probably not for a few months at the least," she said finally.

Master nodded. "Okay then. You understand that I'm going to have to remove your guild mark before you go since this is a leave of absence from the guild?"

Lucy nodded stiffly and stepped forward with her right hand held out in front of her. Master took her hand in his left and pressed his other hand on top of it. Lucy felt an odd tingling sensation on her hand and when Master removed his, she saw that her emblem was gone.

She stared at her bare hand for a moment before she looked back at Makarov and smiled. She walked forward and wrapped the man whose been like a father to her up in a fierce hug. "Thank you for doing this," she said to him, her voice cracking slightly.

"No matter where you go, you'll still be one of my children," Master said to her, his voice cracking as well as he returned the hug.

Lucy stepped back, a smile still in place on her face. "Goodbye Master."

She turned around and headed for the door, but paused as her hand went to the doorknob. She turned back to Makarov and said "One more thing. Wait until they notice I'm gone for you to tell them. And when they eventually ask where I've gone, can you just say that I'm undertaking an important mission or something?"

Master nodded. "Hai, of course."

She smiled again and opened the door. With a last glance at Master Makarov, she stepped out and shut the door. Looking around to make sure that no one was watching her, she crossed her arms to hide her right hand, quickly went down the stairs, and left the guild. Unknown to her, two sets of eyes were watching her - and one of them was filled with tears.

~wWw~

Lucy stepped into her apartment while simultaneously pulling out one of her golden keys "Open, Gate of the Maiden: Virgo!"

Virgo appeared, her usual neutral expression in place. "Hello, Lucy-hime. Is it Punishment Time?"

Lucy chuckled slightly at her spirit's antics. "No Virgo. Do you think you can store some of my clothes in the Spirit World?" she asked her.

Virgo nodded. "Of course Lucy-hime. Are you going on a trip?" she asked in her bland tone.

"Not exactly," Lucy answered as she went about her apartment, gathering stuff she was taking with her. She had packed one bag and was starting to pack another one when frantic banging on her door sounded.

Startled, Lucy went to her door and opened it. On the other side, she was surprised to see Wendy and Carla there - and was even more surprised to see Wendy in tears.

"Wendy? Carla? Wha-" Lucy started saying but was cut off when Wendy launched herself at her, wrapped her arms around her waist, and started sobbing.

Lucy was even more startled by this. She looked up at Cara, who was still floating in the hall and raised an eyebrow in an unspoken question.

Carla sighed. "Well let's not just stand out here in the hallway. Invite us in already," she said impatiently.

Lucy nodded. "Right."

Carla flew past her and Lucy brought a still sobbing Wendy into the room. She sat the girl on her bed and looked at her in concern. "What is it Wendy?" she asked carefully.

Wendy looked up at her, tears still flowing down her cheeks. "L-Lucy-nee, p-please don't l-leave the g-guild," she hiccuped.

Lucy's eyes widened. "How...how did you know about that?" she asked in bewilderment. Carla spoke up. "I had a feeling something was up with you. I also had a feeling that you were lying about what was distracting you earlier. Plus, you didn't give a good enough reason as to why you wanted to talk to Master Makarov. I was...worried about you," she admitted.

Wendy let out a sob and said, "S-So I suggested that we listen in on your conversation with Master Makarov. I-I know that it w-was wrong b-but I was worried a-about you. We heard e-everything."

Lucy closed her eyes. "Then you know why I have to do this," she said quietly.

"But Lucy-nee, you're not weak! You're one of the strongest people I know!" Wendy wailed.

Lucy opened up her eyes and smiled sadly at the young girl and her exceed friend. "Thank you for thinking that but - this is something I want to do. Something I need to do. I need to get stronger."

Wendy looked at her for a few seconds before sighing. "I had to try, right?" she said, her voice sounding soft but firm.

Lucy grinned. "It was a good effort. I am gonna miss you though," she said.

At this, Wendy smiled. "No you won't, because Carla and I are coming with you," she said confidently.

To say that Lucy was surprised was an understatement. It took her a moment to gather her thoughts. "You...you guys want to come with me?" she asked them.

Carla nodded while Wendy said, "Hai, we want to go on this adventure with you. We already spoke to Master Makarov about it, and he removed our emblems too."

Lucy's eyes darted to where Wendy's guild mark usually was and found that it was gone. "But, if you want to come with me, why did you try to talk me out of going?"

"Lucy-nee, do you know why I add -nee to your name instead of -chan or -san?" she asked her.

That got Lucy thinking. She realized that she _was_ the only one Wendy added -nee to. Everyone else was were either -san or -chan. "Why _do_ you add -nee to my name?" Lucy asked curiously.

"Because I really do think of you as my older sister. Everyone in the guild is nice and caring but you're different - it's a good different. You take an extra step for me, always going out of your way to see if I'm alright or to see if you can help me with something. And that's why I tried to convince you to stay, even after I got my emblem removed. I want to stay with you Lucy-nee," she said.

By the time Wendy was done talking Lucy had her own tears running down her face and she squeezed the young girl in a tight hug. "Now how am I supposed to turn you down after you say something like that?" Lucy said with a laugh.

Wendy giggled as they let go of each other. "Good, because I want to get stronger too."

"Really? But your magic is really powerful," Lucy said inquiringly.

"I guess it is - when I'm helping others. I think my offensive attacks could use a little work," she admitted. "I don't want to rely on just Dragon Slayer Secret Arts."

"Alright," Lucy amended. She then grinned as she stood up and offered Wendy her hand. "Want to help me finish packing?"

Wendy smiled and took her hand. "Sure!"

The next hour was spent packing up Lucy's things and conversing casually about nothing in particular. When everything was packed and ready to go, they gave it to Virgo to take to the Celestial World.

Lucy, Wendy, and Carla all looked around the apartment one last time before they left and shut the door.

~wWw~

"Hey Lucy-nee, where are we going to go?" Wendy asked as they walked to the train station.

"Hai, I was wondering about that as well myself," Carla commented.

"Well, I was thinking that we'd catch a train to Crocus to see if there's anything else we need, and then we'd go to the surrounding forest. We'll train there," Lucy answered. "Sound good?"

"Hai," Wendy said while Carla merely nodded.

When they got to the station, they bought their tickets and waited for the train to arrive. When it finally did, they got on and sat down. With one final glance at Magnolia, they left.

~wWw~

"Be safe my children," Makarov said as his gaze ran over the people still left inside the guild.


	3. Chapter Three

"Wow! I'd forgotten how pretty Crocus can be!" Wendy exclaimed excitedly. Carla nodded in agreement. They had gotten to Crocus in the afternoon and the sun was high in the sky.

Lucy, however, wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. Being back in Crocus reminded her of less than pleasant things. Things like people lying limp on the ground and dragons big and small fighting her friends. And the splatter of blood on the castle floor as her future self jumped in the way of an attack meant for her…

"Lucy-nee? Hey, Lucy-nee, are you okay?"

Wendy's voice snapped Lucy out of her thoughts. She turned towards the young girl and gave a bittersweet smile. "Hai, I'm fine. It's just...being back here...kind of reminds me of certain things," she said.

Wendy nodded, understanding completely. Carla glanced away, opting to look at more flowers.

They continued walking through the streets, keeping an eye out for anything they might need. A couple of minutes later, Lucy spotted a small boutique with nice-looking clothes set up in the window.

"Hey Wendy, what do you say to looking for some new clothing for you and Carla?" she suggested.

"Really? But you don't have to-" Wendy started saying but Lucy waved away her concerns.

"Don't worry about it. Let me get something for my little sisters," Lucy smiled down at them, causing both Wendy and Carla to smile back.

The next few hours were spent inside the store, trying on different outfits and generally having a good time.

When they had finally left the store, the sun was beginning to set. Lucy summoned Virgo again and allowed her to take their new purchases to the Celestial World.

"That was really fun!" Wendy exclaimed happily.

Sitting on Wendy's shoulder, Carla looked to Lucy and smiled slightly. "Yes, quite. I haven't had a good time such as that in a long while."

Lucy grinned at both of them. "Glad you guys had fun. Now, since we couldn't find any magic stores with stuff we'd actually want, I think it's time we head to the forest on the outskirts of town. You guys don't mind sleeping outside right?"

Wendy shook her head. "Not at all. I actually think it sounds exciting! Being out there with nothing but the sounds of nature? Count me in!"

Carla shook her head too, a slight smile on her face. "Wherever Wendy goes, I go. Plus, it actually sounds quite nice," she admitted.

Lucy giggled. "Then it's settled! Once we choose a spot we can make camp and get some sleep since it's almost dark. We can start training in the morning."

"Hai," Wendy nodded.

They started heading towards the edge of town, each one with varying degrees of excitement. Carla was excited because Wendy was, Wendy was excited because she's gonna get the chance to become stronger while also getting to spend time with her sister, and Lucy was excited because she was one step closer to becoming stronger as she wanted.

Finally, they've arrived at the edge of town and at the edge of the forest just outside of it. Lucy turned to look at the others. "We won't go in too deep since night is falling. Let's find a big enough tree so we can make camp."

"Ok."

Without trepidation, they entered the forest. Wendy silently oohed ahhed at the small birds she hasn't seen before. Carla was taking in her surroundings with an interested expression on her face. And Lucy was keeping an eye out for the perfect spot to make camp.

Finally, after maybe 30 minutes of walking and with the sun nearly gone, she found a perfect place. Stopping, she pulled out Virgo's key to summon her.

"Hello Lucy-hime, Wendy-sama, and Carla-sama," she intoned when she appeared.

Wendy blushed. "Uh, t-there's no reason to be so formal," she said shyly.

"But you two are Lucy-hime's sisters, are you not?"

Lucy intervened before Wendy could say something. "That's okay Virgo, you don't have to be so formal with them."

Virgo bowed. "As you wish Lucy-hime. Was there a reason you called for me? Is it time for punishment?"

"No, no punishment Virgo. Can you bring three sleeping bags out for us? And can you make sure one of them is small enough for Carla?"

Virgo bowed again. "As you wish Lucy-hime."

After she disappeared Carla turned to Lucy, a bemused look on her face. "Your spirits are rather...peculiar."

"Tell me about it," Lucy sighed. "While she's gone I'm gonna go get some firewood."

"Ok, be careful Lucy-nee. We don't want to disturb anything out here," Wendy warned.

"Hai, I will."

Lucy disappeared between the trees just as Virgo came back. She handed the girl and her exceed partner the three sleeping bags, bowed once in acknowledgment, and disappeared back to the Celestial World. By this time, there was only a sliver of light left in the sky.

"Hey Carla, are you excited about what we're going to do tomorrow?"

"A little. Though I have to admit, being away from all that rowdiness the guild causes sounds really refreshing," she responded.

"Well, I'm excited to start training with Lucy-nee. I'm pretty sure it's going to be a lot of fun!" Wendy said excitedly.

Carla raised one of her brows elegantly. "Just remember child, you're going to be training," she emphasized. "It won't be all fun and games you know."

Wendy nodded seriously. "I know. And I'm sure most of it will be hard and exhausting," she said. Then, she smiled. "But it'll be worth it."

Carla nodded as well, a slight smile on her face. "I agree."

As soon as those words left Carla's mouth Lucy returned with an armful of kindle for the fire.

"Oh good, you're back!" Wendy exclaimed. "Good thing too, the sun is nearly gone."

True to her words, darkness was nearly everywhere. They were only able to see a few feet in front of themselves.

Lucy smiled. "I know right? Wanna help me make the fire?"

"Sure!" Wendy said enthusiastically.

Five minutes later they had a brilliant fire going. Wendy had snuggled into her sleeping bag, a content smile on her face. Lucy sat against the tree, preparing to keep watch over her companions.

Carla, however, had a different idea. "Why don't you go to sleep Lucy? I can stay up and keep watch," she suggested.

Lucy looked over at her, shock evident on her face in the light the fire gives out. "Are you sure? You don't have to..."

"It is fine," Carla said firmly. "Besides, you are supposed to start training tomorrow, ne? You will need your energy. I will wake you if the situation calls for it."

It looked like Lucy was going to protest but, instead of words, a huge yawn escaped her. Realizing the logic behind Carla's words Lucy smiled over at her and gave in. "Alright, you win. But wake me if there's any trouble."

Carla smiled her rare, genuine smile. "Of course."

As Lucy burrowed into her sleeping bag, she couldn't keep the smile off her face as she drifted to sleep.

~wWw~

Sunlight shone on her eyelids, causing the young blue-haired girl to awaken. She sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and allowing a yawn to come forth. Looking around she saw that the sun was still close to the horizon so she guessed that it was still early in the morning.

Another glance around showed her that Lucy was sleeping near the base of the tree and Carla was sleeping next to her. However, at the slightest movement from Wendy, the exceed opened her eyes.

"Ohayo Carla," Wendy said in a quiet voice.

"Ohayo. Did you sleep well, child?"

Wendy nodded, a smile on her face. "Yes, it really refreshing." She giggled. "I didn't have to wake up to sounds of Erza sword training next door."

Carla smirked. "Yes, that is something I can definitely do without," she said slyly. Wendy giggled again and Lucy roused at the sound.

Sitting up slowly, the blonde blinked the sleep out of her eyes and looked around lazily. However, when her eyes landed on her two travel companions, all tiredness was wiped from her face as she smiled. "Ohayo, how did you two sleep?"

"Quite well actually," Carla responded as Wendy merely nodded. "When you think of sleeping outside, the first things that come to mind are hard ground, bugs, and cold nights. But that was really refreshing."

"Hai, it was," Lucy said, getting out of her sleeping back. After she stood up, she stretched and you could hear her joints cracking.

Looking back at the two she said, "I found a stream last night while I was getting firewood. Why don't we wash up there and see if we can catch some fish for breakfast?"

"Sounds good," Wendy said. Carla merely nodded her agreement.

Lucy smiled and took out two of her keys. "Open, Gate of The Twins: Gemini!"

"Hello, Lucy!" The twin spirits chorused in unison when they appeared.

"Hello, Gemini! Can you guys transform into me and watch over the camp while we're gone?" Lucy asked them.

"Sure!" And it a flash of light, the celestial twins suddenly took the form of Lucy.

"Wow, she looks just like you Lucy-nee," Wendy said in awe.

"Yep. That's what they do," Lucy said proudly.

She then held up her other key and summoned Virgo again. "Hello Lucy-sama, is it punishment time?"

Lucy rolled her eyes while Wendy giggled behind her hand. "No Virgo. Wendy, Carla, and I are gonna go wash up. Can you bring out new outfits for us?"

Virgo bowed. "Of course, Lucy-sama," she said monotonously and then disappeared.

Lucy then led the way to the stream she found, and the girls spent time washing out the stress and dirt from yesterday. When they got out, they noticed that Virgo had waited for them next to their old clothes. After changing into the clothes she gave them, they all made their way back to camp. When they got there, the lacked everything up and gave the stuff to Virgo so she can take it back to the Celestial World.

When Virgo had finally left, Lucy turned towards Wendy and Carla. "Let's see if we can find a big clearing to start training."

Both girls nodded and followed Lucy away from their old campsite. After maybe an hour of walking, they came to an empty clearing that seemed good enough.

Once Lucy stopped walking, Wendy spoke up. "This seems like a good place to get started." At Lucy's smile, she continued speaking. "What should we do first?"

Lucy winked and pulled out one of her keys. "This spirit will know how to help." She turned and held out the key. "Open, Gate of the Sea-Goat: Capricorn!"

There was a flash of light and the sound of a ringing bell before he appeared. "Hello My Lady, do you acquire assistance?" he asked.

"Can you help the three of us train so we can become more powerful mages?" Lucy asked him.

"But of course. If you want to do this now, you and your friends should start with meditating to get familiar with your magic power," he replied.

And so, the two girls and the exceed spent the rest of the day strengthening their magic power with the help of the celestial spirit. By sunset, they were exhausted, both physically and mentally, but each of them could feel a slight increase in their magic power, no matter how slight.

"Wow," Wendy said. Capricorn had just gone back to the spirit world, marking the end of their training session for that day. "I already feel my magic power becoming stronger."

"Yeah, me too," Lucy said as she laid back on the ground.

"Quite the rigorous workout," Carla admitted as she sat down.

Lucy opened her mouth to say more but she froze. She sat up quickly and faced the trees. "Guys, I sense strong magic energy coming this way," she said seriously.

Wendy quickly rose to her feet after Carla got up to sit upon her shoulder and they all faced the same direction Lucy was looking. After a moment, two people stepped out and the girls dropped their fighting stances.

It was quiet for a moment, each party looking at the other in shock. Finally, Lucy broke the silence. "Jellal? Meredy?"

~wWw~

Mira looked around the almost-empty guild with a thoughtful look on her face. She realized that Lucy hadn't shown up yesterday or today and she was becoming worried.

_Where are you, Lucy? I hope you're safe and doing well. _

"Gray!" Mira called out to the raven-haired boy about to leave. When he walked over she said, "Have you seen Lucy lately?"

He shook his head. "No, I haven't. Flame-brain went on a mission so I thought she was with him."

"No, Natsu went on that mission with just Happy," Mira answered.

Gray's faced betrayed his shock. "What!? Lucy Lucy always go with him!"

"Not these last couple of days," Mira answered grimly.

"Huh, well that's weird. I'll check up on her tomorrow morning before I come here."

Mira sighed in relief. "Thank you, Gray."

As she watched him leave, she couldn't shake the feeling that tomorrow will be a whirlwind of emotions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who didn't know:
> 
> *Ohayo = Good Morning  
*Hai = Yes


	4. Chapter Four

"Jellal? Meredy?"

Lucy's voice, tinged in surprise, rang out across the clearing. For a few moments, nobody moved and nobody said anything.

Then, "Wendy-san, Lucy-san? What are you guys doing here?" Jellal asked them.

"Does he not see me sitting atop your shoulder?" Carla grumbled quietly.

Before anyone else could say anything though, Meredy hurried up to Wendy and enveloped her–and Carla–in a hug. "It's so good to see you guys," she said happily as she let them go. She moved over to Lucy and gave her a hug as well. Lucy seemed a little surprised at the sudden act of affection but returned it nonetheless.

"Hello Meredy-san and Jellal-san," Wendy said with a small smile. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Well, I asked first," Jellal said with a wry smile, "but I'll answer anyway. We were sticking around Crocus to see if there were any residual problems from the eclipse gate."

Meredy spoke up. "Also, we wanted to make sure that there were no problems with the royal family."

Wendy cocked her head in confusion. "Why would there be problems?"

"It's a serious offense to meddle in the affairs of black magic," Jellal said, "and even if they are the royal family they could be arrested by the magic council and prosecuted."

Carla frowned. "If that's the case, how come they haven't been arrested then?" she asked.

"Apparently upon realizing this, Doranbolt alternated their memories to prevent a massive dispute," Jellal said. "Without the royal family, the kingdom would fall into disarray. Even though they were responsible for the eclipse gate, it was done with good intentions."

Lucy nodded, understanding shown clearly in her eyes. "That makes sense." She then looked around, as if she was looking for something. "Hey, where's Ultear?"

At the mention of her name, the two ex-con mages' posture sagged as if they were under a massive weight. Noticing the way they reacted, Lucy put two and two together. "No...," she trailed off, realization flashing in her eyes.

Glancing at Meredy, she noticed that the pinkette looked close to tears. Moving quickly, Lucy enveloped the girl in a hug just as she burst into tears. Jellal watched them with an ache of loss in his chest. Ultear was like the sister he never had and having grown up with hardly anyone she was a really important part of his life. She helped him find a way for him to atone for his sins, and actually found ways for him to smile. And now, she was gone.

I wonder Ultear, are you free of the pain and guilt wherever you are? Are you finding peace with your mother, as you've always wanted?

Jellal was pulled out of his thoughts by the sight of Wendy walking up to him. However, his attention was drawn to her exceed partner that was sitting on her shoulder. The white-furred cat looked troubled.

"What is it Carla-san?" he asked as they moved to stand in front of him.

"Well first off, no need with the formalities. Just Carla is fine and I'm sure Wendy and Lucy are the same," she said and Jellal couldn't help the small smile that graced his lips as he nodded. The way she talked coupled with the fact that she obviously mothered Wendy conjured up the illusion of a miniature mom.

"But back to what I was originally saying," Carla said quietly, "if you don't mind my asking, what exactly happened to Ultear?"

Jellal sighed. "We believe she cast a spell called 'Last Ages'," he said grimly. "It allows the person who casts it to rewind time, but at the caster's time."

"Time?" Wendy inquired. By this time, Meredy had stopped crying and she and Lucy came over to listen and join the conversation.

"Yes," Jellal said. "In short, it shortens their lifespan. It could turn someone really old or they could die. Either way though..." his voice trailed off but he didn't need to finish his statement. Everyone knew what he meant.

"I am so very sorry," Lucy said. Looking over at her, Jellal ended up locking eyes with her brown ones. He was confused to find that, instead of the pity he expected to see there, he found genuine sadness in her eyes. Even though she didn't know Ultear personally, she was still saddened by her death. He was surprised at this.

"It's been tough but, Ultear would want us to keep going," Meredy said.

Lucy and Wendy nodded at that while Carla stayed motionless.

"Anyways," Jellal said, "why are you guys here?"

Lucy spoke up. "We've temporarily left the guild."

Jellal's eyes widened in shock at this. "What!? Why would you guys do something like that?" he asked while Meredy merely gasped.

Lucy avoided his gaze as she answered. "I'm not as strong as I want or need to be. I left the guild so I could train. Wendy and Carla wanted to go with me to get stronger too."

Meredy looked confused. "But...I-I saw you guys in the GMG, you were amazing!" she said.

Lucy gave her a flat stare. "I lost my fights," she said in tone that was cold. But Jellal knew that it wasn't directed at them, it was directed at the memory.

"That's only because Flare cheated and Minerva is a sadistic twisted bitch!" Meredy insisted.

That statement made Lucy chuckle. Wendy smiled but Carla looked shocked, like she was surprised she would say something like that.

"And Wendy," Meredy said turning towards her, "you're a powerful Dragon Slayer, why would you want to leave the guild?"

Wendy flushed under all the eyes on her and looked at her feet before she answered. "I'm not really that powerful unless I use Dragon Slayer Secret Arts. And, I guess my healing magic is strong too but, I really need to work on my offensive attacks. They're not as strong as I'd like them to be. So when I heard that Lucy-nee was leaving, I asked if I could come along."

Lucy sent her an amused glanced. "You mean when you eavesdropped on a private conversation and then followed me home?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Wendy blushed and looked away while Carla had the gall to look confused. Jellal and Meredy laughed quietly.

"But yeah," Lucy said, her face becoming serious, "it's not just the GMG fights. I wasn't able to prevent the death of my future self. I want to not watch those around me die, not if I can prevent it."

Meredy nodded at her statement, understanding flooding through her. She knew that feeling all too well. Jellal, however, went rigid at the mention of Lucy's future self. He managed to not show the others his reaction but on the inside, he was thinking back on a certain incident during the dragons' attack.

"Hey, how about you guys make camp with us tonight?" Wendy suggested. "There's safety in numbers."

"Um, I'm not sure," Jellal said hesitantly. He actually wouldn't mind staying with them, they had a certain air about them that made him relax. But he and Meredy were wanted criminals and it probably isn't a good idea for people from a light guild to associate with them.

"Are you guys sure?" Meredy asked, her question reflecting Jellal's thoughts.

Lucy shrugged. "I get why you guys wouldn't want to, but we are pretty deep in the forest. I don't think someone will walk in on us if that's what you're afraid of."

Meredy looked to Jellal, and he could already tell she changed her mind about staying. Not being able to come up an argument, he gave in. "Alright, we'll stay with you guys," he said.

Meredy's face broke out into a huge grin, along with Wendy's. Carla's face held a small smile and Lucy was smiling at the other girls. She then spoke up, "I'm gonna go gather some firewood. You guys wanna come?"

Meredy nodded so fast everyone thought her head would fall of. Wendy on the other hand just smiled brightly at her and said, "Sure."

Carla jumped down from Wendy's shoulders to the ground. "I think I'll just stay here with Jellal," she said to the blue-haired girl.

Wendy shrugged. "Ok then. See you guys in a bit."

The girls disappeared into the trees, leaving the ex-con and exceed to their thoughts. Carla was thinking about what kind of training Capricorn would impose on them but Jellal's thoughts were taking an entirely different route.

**~Flashback, Jellal's POV~ **

_I was hurrying through the city of Crocus, trying to dodge the smaller dragons while searching for Ultear and Meredy. They had run off somewhere, Ultear saying they needed to check something out. They've been gone for at least forty-five minutes and I was starting to get worried. _

_I had just taken out a group of the smaller dragons when I've finally caught sight of them. _

_"Meredy! Ultear!" _

_They turned towards me. "Jellal?" Ultear asked. "Are you ok?" _

_I shook off her concerns. "I am fine. What about you guys? Are you alright?" _

_After I had asked that, they glanced at one another, unease filling their expression. I became a little anxious. "What? What is it?" _

_Meredy spoke up. "Do you remember future Lucy?" she asked hesitantly. _

_For some reason, dread started to creep into my body and it felt like I took a dip in a lake—in the winter. "Yes...what about her? Is she ok? Did she meet up with her friends?" _

_Meredy's eyes looked like she was trying to hold back tears. "Y-Yes but she, along with present Lucy, Natsu, and Wendy, ran into the future version of Rogue. He tried to kill present Lucy but...but the Lucy from the future jumped in the way and took the hit," she said somberly. _

_I felt like one of the dragons just shot me through the chest. "Is...is she ok?" I asked them, somehow already knowing the answer to my question. _

_Ultear shook her head. "I'm sorry Jellal, but she's dead," she said gently. _

_As soon as those words left her mouth, I sagged. I felt like dropping to the ground on my knees. I felt like a bucket of ice water was dumped over me, my body felt cold from the inside out. I had no idea why._

_ "Where is she?" I asked them quietly. _

_"There wasn't any time to move her body," Meredy said sadly, "she's still in one of the castle hallways—" _

_I took off after she said that, not even giving her a chance to finish. I don't know why but I just had this desperate need to see her for myself. _

_I don't know how much time had passed or how many hallways I've searched before I knew I came to the right one. There were craters in the floor, cracks in the walls, and scorch marks everywhere. But, my eyes caught sight of something that made my blood freeze. _

_A person lying prone on the floor, clad in black. Her arm thrown out to her side and her blonde hair spread out along the floor like a halo. I walked slowly up to her body and knelt down beside her. For a reason I couldn't explain, tears started to fall from my eyes. I haven't cried in seven years, and yet, there I was, crying over the body of a girl I barely know. _

_I had just seen her a few hours ago. Hell, I had held her as she cried over the fate of her friends. And now...she's dead. _

_"Don't worry," I had whispered to her, as if she was only sleeping and not dead. "Your death will not be in vain. This I promise you." _

_Before I stood up to go, I placed her hand on her chest, and gently placed my hand on her cheek to move her head so she was facing the ceiling. For a moment, I let my hand linger there, staring at her face. Even though she was gone, she only looked like she was sleeping. _

_"I hope that wherever you are now, you are no longer suffering," I said to her as I finally stood up. With one final glance at her, I ran to go join the fight. _

**~End of Flashback~ **

Jellal was broken out of his thoughts by the return of the girls. They were talking and giggling about something and Jellal could see by their facial expressions that they were having a good time.

His gaze lingered on Lucy. Remembering the way her future self looked when he first found her, he couldn't help but be glad that she's still able to look and act like that. Seeing her smiling, he allowed a small smile of his own to grace his face.

Unbeknownst to him though, a certain exceed had been watching, along with a certain pink-haired girl.

A little while later found Jellal keeping watch over everyone while they slept. Lucy had called out one of her celestial spirits named Virgo to get sleeping bags for them and even asked her to get two extra for him and Meredy.

There was no way he could sleep with the thoughts of future Lucy's death still fresh on his mind.

~wWw~

With the morning sun hitting his eyes, Gray found it hard to stay asleep. Groaning in frustration, he sat up and wiped the sleep from his eyes. He then went about his morning routine, and was out of his house within 20 minutes. Remembering the promise he made to Mira, he made his way over to Lucy's apartment.

Walking up to her door, he knocked hard three times, but there was no answer.

_Did she already leave for the guild? _

Needing to make sure, he went outside to stand beneath her window. Because of the amount of times him and the rest of team Natsu have been there, he knew that she always leaves her window unlocked.

He jumped onto the windowsill, opened the window, and jumped inside. "Lucy?" he called out. No answer. He was starting to get worried now. He searched the apartment and saw no signs that she was even there last night.

Trying his hardest to not freak out he quickly rushed to the guild. When he got there, he flung open the doors so hard that the crashed into the walls on the inside. The loud banging sound caused everyone inside to look at Gray with expressions of confusion or shock.

Quickly looking around Gray spotted Mira at the bar. Ignoring the stares he was getting, he rushed up to her. "She's gone," he said to her.

Mira's hands flew up to cover her mouth as tears start to flood her eyes. Because of the quiet in the guild everyone had heard what Gray had said.

"Who is he talking about?"

"Who left?"

"What's going on?"

Questions were starting to circulate around the guild but Gray and Mira paid them no attention. Master suddenly walked out of his office. "What is going on here?" he asked the room at random.

"Master, Lucy is gone! We can't find her anywhere!" Mira called out, worry clearly heard in her voice.

At her statement, the members of the guild started to freak out.

"WHAT!?"

"Where did she go?"

"What's this about Lucy?"

"Lu-chan is gone!?"

"QUIET YOU BRATS!" Master's thunderous voice rang out, immediately shutting up the members. "Lucy is just fine, I sent her and Wendy on an important mission. They should be gone for a couple of months. That is all I will say so don't ask any questions!"

Everyone grumbled and bitched about not being to get more information but they can't do anything about it. Master's words were as law.

Mira, however, was convinced that there was more than what the master was saying.

_I don't know exactly what's going on, but I'm going to find out. Lucy is very important to me and I have to make sure that whatever is going on isn't dangerous._


	5. Chapter Five

Lucy woke to the sounds of birds chirping excitedly to one another. Sitting up she let loose a yawn and looked around her.

To her right were Wendy and Carla sleeping peacefully inside their sleeping bags.

To her left was Meredy, who looked as if she was having a good dream if the smile on her face was any indicator.

And finally, across from her, was Jellal. Lucy took a moment to get a good look at him. Now that he was sleeping, his normal serious expression was replaced with a more peaceful one. An expression that suggested that he never went through any hardships in life, even though that's not true. Lucy thought he must be really strong to be able to look like that, even after everything he's gone through.

Snapping out of her thoughts, she got out of her sleeping bag and went over to him.

Shaking him slightly, she whispered, "Jellal? Hey, Jellal, wake up."

He stirred a little before he opened his eyes. Blinking, he said, "Oh, Ohayo Lucy. What's wrong?"

Lucy shook her head. "Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to let you know that Wendy, Carla, and I will start our training because we might be a little loud."

Fully awake now, Jellal sat up and smiled slightly. "No problem, if Meredy wakes up I'll let her know."

Lucy smiled. "Thanks, Jellal."

She then moved over to where the young girl was sleeping with her exceed partner and shook them awake. "Carla, Wendy. C'mon, it's time to wake up."

They stirred a little before opening their eyes. Wendy yawned and said, "Ohayo Lucy-nee. Are we going to start training now?"

Lucy grinned. "Hai, we'll start in a few minutes. Use that time to stretch and then meet me over there," she said, pointing farther out into the clearing.

Wendy smiled. "Okay."

Lucy got up and went to where she told Wendy to meet her. After she left, Wendy got out of her sleeping back and started stretching. Carla did as well.

"So," Jellal said, "what are you guys doing for training?"

"Well, yesterday was our first day doing it. So far, we've been getting in touch with our magic power and then strengthening it. It's very tiring but its results are amazing. Plus, training with Lucy-nee is fun."

Jellal smiled. "If you don't mind my asking, why is it you add -nee to the end of Lucy's name?"

Wendy looked at him and gave him a bright smile. "It's because she acts like my sister. Other members of Fairy Tail treat you like family, but Lucy-nee always takes that extra step to make me feel at home. When I was at Cait Shelter," here, she started to get a faraway look in her eyes, "there wasn't really anybody there close to my age. The members there were more like aunts and uncles than siblings. Lucy-nee just has a way of making me feel like family."

Jellal stared in shock at her for a moment before he smiled at her again. "She sounds like a very caring person," he said quietly.

"She is," Wendy said while Carla merely nodded with a small smile on her face.

"Come on child, we mustn't keep Lucy waiting," Carla said in her 'mom' voice.

"Okay Carla," she said. She then grinned at Jellal. "See you in a bit Jellal."

"Have fun," he said, his quiet voice. As Wendy and Carla hurried over to join Lucy, Jellal was once again lost in his thoughts.

_I guess there's more to you than meets the eye, isn't there Lucy? You remind me of another woman I know. Except, with you, there's a certain strength inside you that I haven't seen in anyone else. _

~wWw~

"I still think Lucy should've come with us."

Natsu sighed at his blue-furred companion. From the beginning, Happy was against the idea of leaving Lucy behind.

"We had to Happy," Natsu insisted. "Lucy isn't strong enough to handle this job."

Happy shot Natsu a look. "Just because she isn't freakishly strong like you are doesn't mean she isn't strong in her own way Natsu," he said in an accusatory tone. "Besides, if you really think that, why didn't you ask Erza, Gray or Wendy, to come with us?"

Natsu didn't have an answer for that. In truth, he could've asked the whole team to go, there was enough money to split between all of them. But he just really wanted to do this alone.

"I dunno Happy. I guess I just wanted to do this alone," Natsu admitted.

Happy rolled his eyes. "You're a real baka, you know that?"

Natsu looked at him in surprise. "What? What do you mean by that?"

"Ever since we brought Lucy to the guild, every job we went on was with her. We never did a job without her except for that one time before Master announced the S-class wizard candidates. We did everything together and we're never without the other. So how do you think Lucy felt when you barged into her apartment to bragged about the job and reward and basically said she was too weak to come? I didn't say anything because I didn't want you to feel any worse but I'm pretty sure you made her feel like crap. And you know Lucy's a little insecure about how strong she is," Happy said quietly.

Natsu didn't say anything but his expression said it all.

_What have I done? I can't believe I hurt her like that. She's my best friend and one of the most important people in my life. I can't imagine the emotional pain I put her through. _

"Oh my Mavis I can't believe I didn't realize this," Natsu breathed out. "We have to finish the job to keep up Fairy Tail's image but as soon as we're done—"

"I'm gonna fly you back to the guild so you can get down on your knees and beg for Lucy's forgiveness," Happy said in a flat tone.

Natsu winced. "More or less."

Happy nodded and faced away from him.

_You better hope she forgives you Natsu. You know how she is about her magic, how she feels that she hardly contributes anything. I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't go to the guild these last couple of days because of the pain she must have felt, what she still might be feeling. _

~wWw~

"Well done My Lady, you're doing excellent. And you too Wendy-san and Carla-san," Capricorn praised.

Carla nodded at the acknowledgment and Lucy and Wendy, who were both breathing heavily, managed tired smiles at the celestial spirit.

Jellal and Meredy were watching with fascination at their training. They could clearly tell that their magic power was strengthening. The two girls and exceed have been training since this morning and it was now late in the afternoon. The sun was slowing setting in the distance.

"Now Carla-san," Capricorn said to the exceed, "I believe that your magic power has increased enough for this next technique I want you to try."

Carla stared intently at the man/goat in front of her. "Really? And what would that be?" she asked him.

"Transforming into a human," the spirit said.

All three girls gasped in shock. "She can do that?" Wendy asked, shock coloring her voice.

Capricorn nodded. "Yes. This is what you need to do Carla-san. Conjure up a mental picture of the form you would like to take and then apply your magic. It is like a form of transformation magic but more powerful. As your magic power grows you'll be able to keep your human form for longer periods of time," he said.

Carla nodded hesitantly but still did as he said and closed her eyes. First, she imagined what she would want to look like as a human and then applied her magic. She felt her whole body hum with her magic and she opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was Wendy staring at her in shock. The second thing she noticed was the fact that she wasn't looking up to meet her eyes; they were the same height. She looked down and saw her legs. Her very human legs.

She also noticed that her arms and hands were human ones too. She touched the top her head where she felt her cat ears still and felt soft strands of hair near them. Following the strands with her fingers, she found out that her hair was white and that it stopped at her shoulders.

Carla then looked back at Wendy. "I...I'm human," she said, although she voiced it as a question more than a statement.

Wendy's face broke out into a smile, as did Lucy's. "You look very cute Carla," Lucy said and Carla allowed a small blush to cross her face.

Over with Jellal and Meredy, they watched in awe as the little white exceed transformed into a pretty young girl that looked to be Wendy's age.

"Whoa," Meredy breathed out, "I think Carla used transformation magic."

Jellal nodded, not saying anything.

Capricorn nodded at the exceed-turned human. "For now, I think you'll only be able to hold that form for only a few hours. However, you can also turn back to your original form by releasing your magic power."

Carla nodded, a brief look of exhaustion crossing her face as her form began to glow. When the light died down she was back to her exceed form.

Lucy took heed of the exhaustion her two friends were exhibiting and said, "Why don't you guys go back over to where Jellal and Meredy are sitting? I'll be over there in a minute."

"Are you sure Lucy-nee?" Wendy asked, even though she looked dead on her feet.

Lucy smiled. "Positive. Go and rest you two."

They both nodded and shuffled off to where the other two were sitting.

Lucy then turned her attention back to Capricorn. "Is there anything new that I can learn?" she asked him.

The celestial spirit studied her for a moment. Then, he said, "There is one thing. My Lady, please take out my key."

She frowned in confusion but nevertheless did as he asked.

He nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Now, focus your magic into my key and the say 'Star Dress: Capricorn Form!'"

Now Lucy was really confused. "What's a Star Dress?" she asked him.

He smiled slightly at her. "You shall see. Now, try to do what I said."

Lucy closed her eyes and did as he said. She felt her key hum slightly as she poured her magic into it. When she felt that it was enough, she called out, "Star Dress: Capricorn Form!"

This time, her whole body hummed with magic power. Light flared beyond her closed eyelids and she felt a slight wind ruffle her hair. When she felt the light die down she opened them and glanced down at herself. What she saw completely surprised her. Her entire outfit had changed. She was wearing a black leotard with 3/4 sleeves and gold lining the collar and sleeves. Also, she had a sleeveless white vest and a white skirt that went to her knees.

Looking back up at Capricorn in amazement, she saw that he was holding out a hand mirror to her. With curiosity gnawing away at her, she took the mirror and examined herself. Looking into the mirror she realized that she had on sunglasses, kind of like Capricorn's. She also saw that she had goat horns on top of her head and that her hair was styled into two braids going down her back.

"Wow," Lucy said in astonishment.

Over with the others, they were staring agape at Lucy and her transformation.

"Is that another form of transformation magic?" Wendy asked curiously.

Carla shook her head. "I don't think so. This magic feels different somehow."

Jellal nodded. "I agree, her magic feels different now."

Back over with the other two, Lucy asked Capricorn, "What is this outfit for?"

"For each golden key of the zodiac that you possess, you also have the ability to utilize their powers in the form of Star Dresses. Your Star Dress appearance changes with each spirit. You are now wearing the Star Dress that holds my power," Capricorn explained.

"What is your power?" Lucy questioned him.

He smiled slightly before saying, "Exceptional hand-to-hand combat skills."

He then got into a fighting stance. "I know you're tired My Lady, but do you think you can give me a friendly fight? It might also give you a chance to experience the magic of your Star Dress," he said.

Lucy smiled excitedly and got into her own fighting stance. "Let's go."

And then the fight began.

Lucy found that, to her amazement, she was sort of keeping up with him. It was like his body slowed a little and let her see his movements slower so she can counter them. She managed to block almost all of his punches or kicks and she managed to get in a few of her own.

After fifteen minutes Capricorn brought the fight to a close. "My Lady, your magic power is getting low. We should stop now," he said.

Lucy was breathing heavily and was taking really deep breaths. She looked as if she was about to collapse any second. Her body started glowing and when the light was gone, her clothes had returned to normal. Capricorn was also starting to fade away.

When his form had completely vanished, Lucy finally collapsed in exhaustion. But, instead of hitting the hard ground, she fell into something soft and warm. A steady thrumming was heard in her ear and something was wrapped around her.

She opened her eyes and saw blue hair. "Je...Jellal?" Lucy asked, tiredness creeping in her voice.

Jellal smiled down at her slightly. "Don't worry, you're alright. I'm guessing that you overtaxed your magic and you just need to rest for a while," he said reassuringly.

Lucy only nodded, too tired to say anything. She felt her legs gave out again and Jellal used that momentum to swing her into his arms and carried her back over to where everyone else was.

Wendy and Carla had already fallen asleep and Meredy was on her way there. Jellal sat down and laid Lucy's head on his lap as he himself laid against a tree. Staring down at Lucy's face he couldn't help but admire her determination and resolve to get stronger. He then stared up at the sky and at the stars that were starting to appear.

_She has many layers to who she is. I wonder, what else is she hiding? I know that it is dangerous if she and the others stayed around Meredy and me and yet, I cannot shake this feeling of contentment I feel whenever I am around them, especially her. I only ever felt this way around Ultear, Meredy, and Erza, someone I knew when I was a child. _

However, unknown to Jellal, Meredy was actually more aware than she appeared. She couldn't help the small smile to cross her face briefly before settling back into a sleeping façade.

_I think it's good for him to be around them – mainly her. I know we shouldn't stick around but I have a feeling that something good could come out of it if we do._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Aw Meredy, you sneaky girl. I totally agree with you. Anyways, hello Minna! I hope you liked this chapter, to be honest, I thought I could've done better but *shrugs* no use crying over spilled milk as they say. I can say though, that the next chapter will be with more action and JeLu fluff.


	6. Chapter Six

The next morning at the guild, things weren't as hectic as they usually are. There was also a weird kind of tension in the air. But everyone knew why it was like that. It was because of their missing guildmates; Lucy, Wendy, and Carla.

The remaining members of Team Natsu (Erza and Gray) were wondering why they weren't allowed to go. Unless they specifically asked for only those two, three if you included Carla, they couldn't see why they couldn't go. Add on the fact that they asked for Wendy as well had them worried. While Wendy is a Dragon Slayer, they thought her best abilities are her healing ones. Why would they need a Healing Mage? And besides, Wendy isn't the only Dragon Slayer the guild has and, no offense intended, not the most powerful either.

And this brought them to another problem. How would Natsu react when he hears this? He and Lucy were best friends and always did things together, never went without one another. Although, the exception could be said about this mission he took without Lucy.

Mira wasn't entirely aware of all the people she was serving due to being deep in thought.

_What Master said isn't exactly adding up to some of the things that have been going on. Lucy's been acting a little off ever since the Grand Magic Games. Plus, the day before the day she didn't come in she seemed really down about something and she was adamant in talking to the Master. Somehow, I doubt that she asked for a mission, and even if Master Makarov did assign her one, she would've found a way to tell one of us. Also, I'm the one who records all the jobs that have been taken. _

Mira paused in her work, a frown covering her face before she soundly straightened up.

"Mira? Is everything ok?" Cana asked in concern. Her words were slurred a little because of the barrel of alcohol she has but the concern was as plain as day.

Mira smiled at her friend. "Hopefully." With that being said, she quickly took out a book that contained every job a person in the guild has done. Including ones that the Master had assigned personally. Flipping through it she saw that there was no record of recent jobs assigned to neither Lucy or Wendy. Mira's eyes narrowed.

_Master...what are you hiding from us? _

~wWw~

Natsu was in a good mood. He and Happy had managed to finish their job early and it had gone really well. Only one building was destroyed during the fight so not all of their money was lost to building expenses.

On their way to the train station, however, Natsu's good mood disappeared. Why? Simple: Happy. Except for the fight, he had hardly spoken a word to Natsu. He tried to get him to speak, even going as far as to buy him some fresh fish. But still, he hadn't said a word. And it was starting to piss him off.

"Happy! C'mon, how come you won't talk to me!?" Natsu asked a little angrily.

Happy sighed. "I still can't get over the way you treated Lucy Natsu," he said without looking at him.

Natsu's angry attitude vanished as soon as Happy said those words. "I already feel bad enough Happy. You don't have to keep reminding me," he grumbled.

"The thing is Natsu, is that you knew that she was gonna be hurt by what you were doing. You knew by excluding her that she'd be upset but you did it anyway," Happy said stiffly.

"Hey, I didn't see you trying to stop me." Natsu retorted.

"Because you asked me to do it as a favor," Happy retorted. "You're not only my best friend but you're also my father, in every way except blood. You know I'd do anything for you but if you ask me to do something like this again, I WILL say no."

Natsu quieted after that. It wasn't until they reached the train station that he spoke up again. "Do you think Lucy will forgive me?" he asked softly.

Happy sighed. "If she doesn't forgive you right away I know she'll forgive you eventually. But, I also know that she'll never forget either."

With that being said, Happy flew off to buy their tickets, leaving behind a very anxious Natsu.

_Dammit, I know I screwed up Lucy. But please, give me a chance to fix it. _

Meanwhile, thoughts were plaguing the blue-haired feline as he bought the tickets.

_I know you wanna fix things Natsu. But I can't shake the feeling that you're gonna be too late. _

~wWw~

The young blue-haired Dragon Slayer stirred in her sleep before she blinked open her eyes sleepily. Without sitting up she took the time to look around at her sleeping companions. Carla was laying near her head and was sleeping peacefully, a content look on her face that's rarely shown.

A couple of feet away was Meredy, a peaceful expression on her face that is seldom shown while she's awake. There was no subtle hint of tension in her body that she normally had. She looked relaxed.

And finally, there was Lucy and Jellal. And seeing them made Wendy gasp in shock and awe. Because those two were sleeping together (not that way, get your mind out of the gutter). Lucy's head was laying on his lap with her face turned towards him while Jellal had his arms wrapped around her in a clear show of protection.

Wendy took a moment to study them, or more specifically, their facial expressions. Lucy's face showed a relaxed state that she hasn't seen on her since they left. No matter how hard she tried to hide it, Wendy detected a certain tension in her body that was even present when she was sleeping. She missed people from the guild, even though she's firm in her decision to get stronger. Not being able to talk to Mira, Levy, Erza, Gray, and Cana must have been weighing her down slightly. Wendy knew that not seeing them every day is hard for herself but Lucy has known them longer so she must've been feeling it the worst.

And then there's Jellal. Not only was he enslaved as a child but then his mind was warped into a twisted way of thinking. In a way, he was forced to enslave his friends, keep them prisoner, and ultimately, kill Simon. After learning about what he did Wendy was happy that he lost his memories if that meant that he could be free of the torment of what he'd done. But meeting him after those seven years and learning that his memory had been returned to him...Wendy's heart hurt for him. She's glad that he's trying to make amends for everything but there was always this certain sadness about him, a dark cloud casting him into the shadows.

But when Wendy looked at him then, she could see that the cloud wasn't there. One look at him and you'd think that he was just a normal teen (when he's actually in his early twenties) Mage from a guild. You'd think that he'd had an average life with nothing extraordinary happening to him.

You know, it's odd. They're both out in the world, trying to accomplish something for their sakes, as well as others too. Lucy's trying to get stronger so she can better protect her friends, but also so she can be more confident in herself. And Jellal is trying to make amends for all the things he had done while under that dark influence, so his consciousness can be cleared and as a way to apologize to those he had wronged. Plus, I realized that their magic is the same. Each one deals with the stars, with those mysterious lights in the sky. Maybe, if everything goes okay, both Jellal and Lucy will end up shining as brightly as the stars themselves.

With one last look towards them, Wendy laid her head back down and drifted off to sleep.

~wWw~

It was mid-afternoon by the time Natsu and Happy's train arrives in Magnolia. When it stops, the young dragonslayer stumbled from it and landed on the ground on all fours, the green tinge on his face contrasting badly with his pink hair.

"Finally," he mumbled to the ground. "Solid ground."

Natsu waited for the dizziness to pass before he attempted to stand up again. From experience he knew not to try to beforehand; that'll just lead to embarrassing situations.

Natsu was surprised to not hear a condescending word from his companion but a quick look around told him why. Happy was flying towards Lucy's apartment already. Damn.

He jogged to catch with him but didn't say anything. They haven't spoken a word to one another since that morning; Natsu knew whatever he says will be ignored.

Soon enough, they caught sight of her apartment and Natsu started to feel antsy, his and Happy's conversation from that morning running through his mind.

_Will she really forgive me? I didn't realize...I didn't know how much I was hurting her by not including her in things. And knowing how she grew up all alone in a huge and silent house I should've known how she will handle it. Please, Lucy, let me make it up to you. _

The first thing that Natsu noticed when he reached her place was that her scent was faint. He frowned at that. Normally, he'd have a hard time smelling anything but her but now, it's like...she hasn't been here in a while.

"Lucy! Lucy are you here?" Natsu called out as he entered through the window – like he always did.

Happy flew through the apartment calling out Lucy's name, but after no response, he came back looking worried. "She's not here Natsu! Maybe she's at the guild," he said worriedly. The first words he said in hours and he used a tone like that.

"Ok, let's go see if she's there," Natsu said soothingly. Happy shot him a look and then took off in the direction of the guild. And people wonder why he didn't try talking to him.

By the time he caught up to the flying cat, they were in front of the guild doors.

Natsu threw them open, shouting, "We're back!"

"Where's Lucy!?" Happy shouted at the same time.

"Welcome back!" The guild yelled at them, although not as enthusiastically as they usually did.

Natsu and Happy went over to Mira and Happy repeated his question to her. "She's gone," Mira said softly.

Natsu felt as though there was ice was flooding his system. "What...w-what do you mean she's gone?" he asked shakily.

"She means," a voice behind them said, a glance over their shoulders showed that it was Erza, "that Lucy is on a mission."

"Oh," Happy said dejectedly. "Well, when is she coming back?"

"We don't know," Gray said as he walked up to them. "Lucy, Wendy, and Carla were assigned a mission from Master Makarov and he said they could be gone for months."

"Months?" Natsu echoed.

"What!?" Happy shouted incredulously.

"Well, I'm gonna go find her," Natsu said stubbornly as he started walking towards the doors again.

"YOU WILL DO NO SUCH THING!" A voice hollered from the second floor. Everyone stopped what they were doing to gaze at the stern-looking master.

"But Jiji—" Natsu started protesting but shut his mouth at the hard look that entered the Makarov's eyes.

"You _will_ leave them alone and not try to find them Natsu, and that goes for all of you," Master said as his gaze swept the room. With one last lingering glance at Natsu, the master turned on his heel and went back into his office.

After a moment, activities start to resume and the guild members all go back to what they were doing. Well, except for Gray, Erza, Natsu, and Happy.

Happy caught the slightly miserable and lost look in Natsu's eyes and sighed regretfully.

_My feeling was right. Sorry Natsu, but it seems that you were too late this time. And it'll be months before you can make it right again._


	7. Chapter Seven

**(Days Before Lucy, Wendy, and Carla Left The Guild): **

Levy Mcgarden was many things but a fool wasn't one of them. Sure, she can be excitable, eager, and a freak (*coughs* I mean enthusiastic person) about books in general. But for certain, she was no fool. She knew something was bothering Lucy the day she asked her about her book but decided to wait to talk about what it was. But then, she saw how preoccupied she was the next day and decided against going up to her. Besides, she thought Wendy might've helped her out, they do act like sisters after all.

Then, when she saw (from behind one of her many books mind you) that Lucy was on her way to the master's office, she started to become worried. You don't just go into his office for kicks (well, maybe Happy and Natsu but they're the exception). While she was in there Levy saw Wendy and Carla, who the young girl was holding, stop at the base of the stairs. They both had odd looks on their faces, Wendy's was one of concentration and Carla's was one of expectation as they stared at the door to Master's office.

_What in the—? What are they doing? _

After a couple of minutes, Levy saw that Wendy's facial expression changed into one of sadness and horror before she ducked under the stairs. A moment later, Lucy came out of the Master's office. Levy noticed she was looking around the guild and hastily made it look like she was invested in what she was reading. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lucy hurry down the stairs and out the guild doors. Taking her attention off her book, Levy looked to where Wendy was coming out from her hiding spot and was shocked to see tears running down her face.

Without further ado, Wendy made her way up the stairs and then she and Carla disappeared inside the Master's office as well.

Levy glanced around to see that no one noticed. Her eyes narrowed as she began to think.

_What is going on? The only time I've seen Lu-chan that upset was when she found out about her father's passing, and even then she bounced back quickly. And how is Wendy involved? That look on her face while Lucy was in there...she was concentrating. But on what? Maybe...maybe she was trying to use her Dragon Slayer hearing to hear what was going on inside the office? But if that's the case, what could she have heard that would cause her to be that upset?_

At that moment, the door to Master's office opened again and out stepped the young Dragon Slayer and her exceed partner. For the second time that night, Levy was shocked by the expression on the young girl's face. Except, this time, it's one of concentration and determination. Compared to what her face looked last time it was surprising at how quickly it changed.

And like Lucy, she quickly went down the stairs and out the guild doors.

Levy frowned.

_Ok, no more delaying. As soon as one of them enters the guild tomorrow, I'm going to ask them what the heck is going on. _

But she never got the chance.

The next day, neither girl came into the guild. Levy waited and waited but they didn't show up all day. Finally, when the sun was setting and the number of people in the guild was down to single digits, Levy got ready to go home. However, while passing by the bar on her way to the guild doors, she caught snippets of a conversation between Mira and Gray.

"Huh, well _that's_ weird. I'll check up on her tomorrow morning before I come here."

"*Sigh* Thanks, Gray."

_Hmm...Could they be talking about Lucy? Well, if that's the case, at least others are worried about her. _

The next day, Levy got to the guild early and sat at the bar. That way, she'll be able to hear what Gray says to Mira about Lucy. In the meantime, she pulled a book out of her bag and began to read to pass the time.

(Did we really expect her to do anything differently?)

After sitting there for fifteen minutes, the banging of the guild doors broke her concentration and she looked up to see Gray hurrying towards Mira, his face frantic.

"She's gone."

_What!? She's gone!? _

"WHAT!?"

"Where did she go?"

"Lu-chan's gone!?" Levy shouted out, worry making her voice slightly hysterical.

She's gone? As in, kidnapped? Ran away? What does this mean!?

"QUIET YOU BRATS!" Master's voice rang out over the steady rise of voices and it cut into Levy's mind. She looked up and saw him standing on the landing outside his office.

"Lucy is just fine, I sent her and Wendy on an important mission. They should be gone for a couple of months. That is all I will say so don't ask any questions!" With that said, Master went back into his office.

Small chatter broke out after that, but Levy didn't pay it any attention.

_Something's not adding up. I saw the way that Lucy was acting before she went into Makarov's office. She was occupied and sad, and on the day she went into Makarov's office, she was determined. And even if Master sent the two of them on a mission, they weren't called to his office together or at all for that matter. Lucy went in there voluntarily and then left quickly. I also have suspicions that Wendy was using her advance hearing to listen in on Lucy and Master's conversation. Whatever she heard was enough to make her cry and to talk to the master as well. That behavior, coupled with the fact that they both didn't come back the next day, makes me think that the Master is lying. He actually seems to be covering for them. _

Levy stooped her musings and glanced around. It seems that everyone had bought Master Makarov's story. Everyone, except for Mira. Levy saw that she was deep in thought about the situation.

_Things aren't adding up. I'm going to have to keep an eye out for anything else that's suspicious. _

~wWw~

**(Present Time) **

"Ok, let's go again," Lucy breathed through slightly heavy breaths. Earlier this morning, after everyone had woken and freshened up, Lucy called upon Capricorn to train Wendy and Carla in strengthening their magic power.

Jellal had volunteered himself in helping Lucy strengthen her fighting style so when the next time she uses her Capricorn Star Dress, she'll be better at it. Meredy was asked to participate with Wendy and Carla, so everyone's been busy for a while.

Jellal chuckled. He had to admit, teaching Lucy how to fight without using magic or weapons was fun. Actually, just hanging out with her was fun. He never expected to feel this way around anyone again. "Maybe we should call it quits for now. You are doing pretty good for a beginner, you don't have to completely master it right now. And besides, did you not say that you wanted to try out a new Star Dress?" he asked.

Lucy smiled. "Yeah, I guess you're right," she said ruefully. Her and Jellal had been practicing since morning and the sun was high in the sky. Despite how hard it's been and how tired she was, Lucy was having the time of her life. And strangely, she thought she wouldn't be having this much fun if someone else was helping her out.

_I never expected to be so relaxed in Jellal's presence. Not because of what he did while under that dark influence, but because of how little I know about him. I know that he and Erza were friends when they were younger and that they were both enslaved in the Tower of Heaven. Other than that, he's a mystery. But I'm acting around him as if he is Natsu! I mean, how I used to... _

"Jellal! Lucy!" Meredy's voice called out. Both of them looked over to see her waving at them, Capricorn gone, and Wendy and Carla panting on the ground. They exchanged glances before heading over.

"What's up Meredy?" Lucy asked.

"Well, I think we're all pretty tired so I thought we'd all have a lunch break so we can rest up and eat," she explained.

Lucy nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. What do you think Jellal?" she said turning to him.

He shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me, I say we do it."

Meredy grinned. "Great! I'll go catch some fish in that stream over there. See ya!"

Meredy got up and hurried into the trees opposite them and disappeared. Lucy glanced down at Wendy and smiled. "How's it going imouto?" she asked.

Wendy beamed at the title. "Just a little tired nee-chan, but I can feel my reserves getting larger. Capricorn is a really good teacher," she admitted.

Carla nodded in agreement. "I can stay in my human form longer now and I can use my aerial magic longer as well," she said.

Jellal smiled. "Wow, that's amazing. You guys are improving at an exceptional rate," he said approvingly.

They both blushed at the unexpected praise.

Carla cleared her throat in an effort to remain dignified. "That aside, are you going to continue to work with Jellal after this break?" she inquired.

Lucy shook her head. "No, I think I've got the necessities down and it's not like I need to be a combat specialist. I'll leave that to guys like Gray and Natsu," she said, wincing slightly as she said Natsu's name.

The girls didn't catch it but Jellal sure did. His eyes narrowed in thought.

_What was that? It was like just the mention of him causes her pain. The last I saw them together they were the best of friends. I wonder what could've happened? _

"So what are you going to work on?" Wendy asked, curious.

"I was planning on trying to access another Star Dress," Lucy answered.

Carla gasped slightly and Wendy got an excited look in her eyes. "Wow, really!? Can you show us when you unlock it?" Wendy asked excitedly.

Lucy laughed. "Sure."

"I'm back!" Meredy called out as she ran back into the clearing carrying an armload of fish.

Lucy chuckled. "Nice haul, how'd you get that much?" she asked teasingly.

Meredy dumped the fish on the ground and smirked. "Secret," she said as she tapped her nose knowingly.

Jellal gave a short laugh and shook his head slightly at her antics. Meredy hid her shock at hearing Jellal laugh by pretending to arrange the fish on the ground.

_Wow...I haven't heard him laugh, like, really laugh, since Ultear's death. I knew it, being around them is helping him. Being around her is helping him. If he shows signs of wanting to leave them, I'm going to try to convince him that we shouldn't leave. Because it's not only him that's benefiting being around them, I've been feeling better too._

Meredy smiled brightly. "Ok, let's eat!"

~wWw~

Levy sighed for the umpteenth time today. She had a book in front of her but she was too distracted to read anything. And that was saying SOMETHING. She was worried about Lucy.

_If she, Wendy, and Carla aren't out doing a job then what are they doing? _

She looked over at the bar where the incomplete Team Natsu was sitting. Gray was so distracted that he didn't even strip one article of clothing, Erza didn't touch the strawberry cake in front of her, Happy didn't mention fish _once_, and Natsu...

Natsu wasn't himself. Period.

He hasn't challenged Gray once, hasn't eaten anything since the announcement, and he hasn't been looking for a job.

If Levy were to describe that team's mood in one word, she'd say they were depressed. And worried. And on edge. Ok, so it's more than one word, sue her.

The guild has been more subdued as well. Lucy and Wendy (and Carla) might not have been a member of Fairy Tail long, but they touched the hearts of everyone here.

They were family. Plain and simple.

Everyone was broken out of their musings by the sound of the guild doors opening. They all glanced at the door, some wondering who it was and others hoping that it was a certain blonde-haired girl accompanied by a female Dragon Slayer and her exceed partner.

But it only turned out to be only the resident Animal Take-Over Mage, Lisanna Strauss.

She smiled. "I'm back Minna!" she said, waving her arm wildly. Only, instead of a warm welcome like she was expecting, only a few people waved and even then it wasn't full of enthusiasm.

She gave everyone a confused glance before she saw Natsu and made her way towards the bar.

Levy let out a silent sigh.

_Lisanna was gone on her mission when Lucy, Wendy, and Carla left so she didn't know about them leaving yet. I wonder how she'll take the news? _

Lisanna tapped Natsu on the shoulder. "Hey Natsu-kun, what's going on? Why is everyone acting strange?" she asked him.

When Natsu didn't look like he'd answer Gray answered for him. "Lucy, Wendy, and Carla took a mission a couple of days ago that's supposed to last a few months and it might be super dangerous. Everyone is just on edge is all," he said.

Lisanna looked at him in confusion. "Why?" she asked.

This time it was Erza who answered her. "What do you mean?" she asked her, her own eyes narrowing. By now the whole guild was listening.

Lisanna shrugged. "I mean, I get why you'd be worried about Lucy but Wendy's a Dragon Slayer. She'll be fine," she said nonchalantly.

Happy looked at her hard. "Are you trying to say that Lucy is weak?" he asked furiously.

Everyone who heard that question had different reactions. Cana stopped her drinking, Wakaba stopped his smoking, Elfman stopped thinking of ways to be more like a man, Evergreen stopped examining her reflection, Levy snapped her book shut, Juvia stopped staring at Gray, Gajeel stopped eating iron, Mira stopped cleaning dishes, and even Laxus clenched his fists.

Erza, Gray, Happy, and even Natsu glared at her.

Oblivious to these reactions, Lisanna answered with an eye roll and said, "Well _duh_, I mean, all she ever does is call her spirits to do her fighting for her and she just stands to the side. I mean seriously, her magic is so weak it's pathetic, and I bet she can't even—"

Natsu stood up so abruptly that his stool flew back a few feet. Lisanna backed up a few steps in fear at the look Natsu shot her as he turned to look in her direction.

_W-What's up with that look? He's never looked at me that way, not once. _

When Natsu spoke, it was so quiet compared to his usually loud voice that if the guild wasn't quiet already no one would've heard him speak.

"Who do you think you are? Talking about a member of our family with false lies and disgust in your voice?" he said. His voice steadily became louder. "You don't even know her! She's done so much for everyone in this guild and has been there for everyone and smiling through her own pain and you come here acting like you know everything about her when you don't know shit!"

Lisanna looked at him with wide eyes. He never yelled at her, not like this. A look around the guild showed that everyone was either glaring at her or looking at her with disgust.

_Is...is this how everyone feels? _

"What does everyone even like about her!?" She asked shrilly. "Seriously! Come on guys that girl is so weak I'm not even sure why she is a member of our guild! Is it because she's pretty? Did any of you sleep with her? If you did then I'd totally understand—"

**SMACK! **

Everyone stared wide-eyed at the person who just slapped Lisanna, including Lisanna herself as she touched the red handprint on her cheek.

Levy stood there, breathing heavily, her eyes flashing and her hands balled into fists. "Don't you dare," she snarled, "don't you dare finish that sentence! Lucy Heartfilia is nothing like that! She is honorable, brave, and completely selfless! She will and has done anything for the people she cares about, even at the cost of her own happiness! You don't know a thing about what she's done for us or the shoulders she gave us when we were upset! You don't know about her own problems that she deals with but still manages to smile! You don't know a _damn thing_!"

Levy huffed out a breath before attempting to settle down. The whole guild was in shock at seeing the normally quiet and peacekeeping bookworm lose her cool and smack a fellow guild member. Although, most of them were thinking the same things she's was saying.

"Now that I've made my point," Levy started saying in a deceptively calm voice, which made her seem even angrier, "I think I speak for everyone when I say get the hell out. Leave and don't come back until tomorrow."

Lisanna's eyes widened before she looked around. Not one person showed sympathy for her, even Mira was looking at her sternly. She backed up a few steps before she turned and fled out the doors. As they closed everyone heard a small but definite sob.

It was quiet for a few moments before Mira sighed. "Kami-sama knows this situation is difficult," she said sadly.

Levy scoffed. "Kami-sama might know this situation but my foot's gonna know her ass if she comes back here spitting out that nonsense about Lucy," she snarled. "Ugh, I need a mission," she murmured after a thought.

She headed towards the mission request board, unaware of the looks she was receiving. Some of the looks were filled with awe, some of them appraising, and some were approval.

_I don't know where you are or what you're doing Lu-chan. But know that I am with you every step of the way. Even if I'm not there physically._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to make this clear; I AM NOT hating on Lisanna! There is a legitimate reason she's acting like that, and she's not the villain. I'm sorry for those who genuinely like her. She won't be like that for the whole story.
> 
> And for those of you who don't know:  
Imouto = Little Sister  
Nee-san = Older sister  
Kami-sama = God, Goddess, some sort of deity


	8. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up for crappy fight scenes ahead.

Lucy examined her golden celestial keys. She was trying to figure out which spirit she should try a Star Dress for.

_Hmm, let's see...Capricorn himself is exceptional in hand-to-hand combat so the Star Dress for his power will amplify the user's ability to do use it, whether it's beginner or expert in the skill. So I'm guessing that whichever spirits' Star Dress I wear, it'll let me utilize their magic in my own way. So, let's see what magic they use. Like before, I said Capricorn uses hand-to-hand combat. Taurus uses an ax and exceptional strength, Cancer uses his swords and speed, Virgo uses earth and tunneling magic, Sagittarius uses a bow and arrows, Aquarius uses water magic, Loke uses Regulus, Gemini uses copying magic, Scorpio uses sand and speed magic, and Aries uses wool magic. _

Lucy grabbed Capricorn's key and put it back on her key ring. She wouldn't need it right now.

_Let's see. Since I can already use a close-quarters form of combat, I'm gonna need something that can either work against weapons or somethings that's long-range. So Virgo and Taurus are out – for now. Loke's Magic is helpful but since he's one of my most powerful spirits I don't want to try to use his Star Dress yet. The same goes for Aquarius. _

Lucy put Taurus's, Virgo's, Loke's, and Aquarius's key back on her key ring.

_Aries's and Gemini's magic won't work either for this purpose._

Back on the key ring they went.

_That just leaves Scorpio, Cancer, and Sagittarius. Scorpio's magic is sand so I might be able to use that for both long-range and short-range attacks. Since Cancer uses scissors and speed I'm guessing that I'll be using a bladed weapon and speed as well. And it's obvious that I'll be able to use a bow and arrows if I wear the Sagittarius Star Dress. Hmm...which to choose. _

While Lucy was thinking over her decision, Jellal was instructing Wendy, Meredy, and Carla in her human form hand-to-hand combat. Just the basics of course. While he was teaching them, Jellal couldn't help but glance over at Lucy every once and a while. And of course, this didn't go unnoticed by the three girls.

Carla cleared her throat. "What do you think Lucy is doing Jellal?" she asked hiding a small smile.

Jellal looked over to where Lucy was. After Meredy came back with the fish and they had eaten, they had split up a little to practice. Wendy had asked Jellal to teach her how to fight without using magic. Carla wanted to learn so she could be of more use to Wendy and Lucy, and Meredy just wanted to, and he quotes, 'learn more ways to kick ass'.

Anyway, back to the present. From what Jellal can see, Lucy was staring at a few celestial keys with a furrowed brow.

Jellal frowned slightly. "I'm not sure but if I had to guess, I'd say that she's trying to chooses which spirit's Star Dress she's going to try out."

Meredy got an excited look in her eyes. "Ooh, I wonder which one she'll choose! All of her spirits are super cool!"

"Albeit a little crazy," Carla muttered under her breath. Wendy heard this and giggled lowly at her exceed partner's statement.

"Hey, it looks like she chose one," Jellal said suddenly. They all looked over at Lucy to see that she only had one key in her hand but they were too far away to see which one it was.

Lucy was looking at the key she chose. After thinking it over thoroughly, she believed that she chose the correct one.

_I'm pretty sure this is the right choice. Wearing this spirit's Star Dress will not only give me power but I think if I manipulate the magic correctly, I can use it for both short-range and long-range attacks._

Lucy closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. She recalled her lesson with Capricorn on how to transform into her clothes into a Star Dress. She focused her magic into the key and then called out, "Star Dress: Scorpio Form!"

Like last time, she saw a bright light through her closed eyelids and felt a light wind ruffle her clothes and her hair. When she felt the light die down she opened her eyes and glanced down at herself. And a blush immediately lit up her cheeks.

She now wore a skin-tight battle suit, with the area covering her legs being black while the area that covers her chest and stomach were blood red with black stripes running diagonally. A slight breeze at her back let her know that the back of the outfit was open. Her shoulders, elbows, and knees were covered in guards, while her forearms and legs were covered in armor plates. She had a silver (metal) waistband wrapped around her waist and attached to the back of it, about where her tailbone would be, was a silver chain that was two feet in length and ended in what was shaped like a scorpion's stinger.

Lucy touched her hair and felt it in a high ponytail at the back of her head. She had two long bangs framing her face but were kept back by a headband. Feeling it, she made out the symbol of Scorpio embroidered on the front.

Over by the others, they were all in different states of awe and shock. Carla, who was still in her human form, was blushing furiously at the thought of wearing something like that while also thinking that Lucy was giving off an aura of power.

Wendy was thinking along the lines of Carla but she was also thinking about how she'd want to be just as strong as Lucy one day.

Meredy was thinking about how badass Lucy looked and what kind of power that particular Star Dress would let her use.

Jellal, however, was only thinking two words.

_Powerful. Beautiful. _

"Wow," Wendy breathed out, "Lucy looks amazing."

"And she seems to have this aura of power about her," Carla added.

Meredy smiled mischievously. "That outfit though...it leaves little to the imagination ne?" she asked slyly, glancing subtly at Jellal as she talked.

Jellal nodded without thinking. Wendy and Carla hid their smiles.

Jellal snapped out of his thoughts and glanced at the three of them. "Let's go see what magic she gained," he suggested.

"Sure."

"Gladly."

"I don't see why not."

They walked over to her, admiring her outfit as they went. Some more than others. 

"Wow nee-chan, your transformation looks great," Wendy said as they finally neared the blonde.

Lucy snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Wendy's voice. Looking up she saw that she, Carla, Meredy, and Jellal had walked up to her.

She gave them a smile. "Thanks, imouto, although it is something I'm not used to."

Meredy chuckled. "Hai, you can say that. So, which Zodiac Star Dress is that?"

"It's Scorpio's. His magic is speed and sand but I don't know I'm supposed to use it," Lucy admitted.

Jellal thought for a minute before he said, "Well, why don't you ask Capricorn? He's the one who told you about the Star Dresses after all. Maybe he could teach how to use them correctly."

Lucy stared at Jellal for a second before smiling brightly. "Thanks, Jellal! Wow, I didn't even think to ask him," she said sheepishly.

Jellal chuckled slightly. "Well, you did just go through a transformation and gained new magic powers. It's understandable that you'll be a bit overwhelmed."

Lucy grinned and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess you have a point," she admitted. She pouted at him but Jellal could see the mischievous glint in her eyes.

Meredy, Wendy, and Carla watched all this with well-hidden amused smiles. Wendy was almost glowing with excitement.

_Aww...nee-chan looks so happy right now. I really hope Meredy and Jellal stick around. I like seeing her like this. _

Carla turned to face everyone else. "Alright you heard them, Lucy needs to talk to Capricorn," she said. She then turned to Jellal. "Why don't you stay here and help her out? I have about an hour left to be in human form so Wendy, Meredy and myself can just go over the forms you showed us," she suggested.

Meredy tilted her head to hide her grin.

_Go Car-la, go Car-la. _

Jellal frowned slightly. "Are you guys sure you won't need my help?" he asked uncertainly.

Meredy beamed. "Yeah, Carla's right, we'll be fine."

"Yeah," Wendy added, "We'll be ok. And you won't mind him helping you, right nee-chan?"

Lucy shook her head. "No, it's fine with me, I could use all the help I can get."

Meredy clapped her hands. "Then it's settled! Jellal will help Lucy and the rest of us will practice are hand-to-hand combat moves," she said excitedly.

Lucy laughed. "Ok ok. Let's get to work."

Wendy, Carla, and Meredy grinned at one another before jogging back to where they were before.

Jellal smiled at Lucy and gestured towards her key ring. "Well, shall we get started?" he asked in a teasing tone.

Lucy grinned at him and shoved him playfully. "Let's," she agreed

~wWw~

Lisanna rushed home, trying unsuccessfully to fight back the tears that were steadily falling from her eyes.

Why? Why defend her? She's weak! I can't understand why everyone loves her so much. And Natsu...he yelled at me. He never yelled at me before or looked at me like that. What is it about Lucy that just draws people in?

She finally made it home and rushed to her backyard to sit on the swing Mira used to push her on when she was younger. She stared at the ground without really seeing it as she thought about what she had said.

I...I basically called her a slut. And I called her weak. I called a member of Team Natsu, our strongest team, weak. And I called Natsu's best friend, a person he truly cares for, not good enough to be a part of the same guild he's in. Now that I think about it I...I regret those things I said.

Before she knew it, the sun was setting and the air was getting colder. But Lisanna was too lost in her thoughts to really notice.

But she was shocked out of them by a warm hand on her shoulder. Looking up she saw that it belonged to Mira and she was wearing a concerned expression on her face. However, there were underlines of disappointment too.

"Lisanna, it's time to come in now, you'll catch a cold if you stay out any longer," she said.

She nodded before following her sister into the house. Elfman must've still been at the guild because he wasn't here. It was just the two of them. Mira went to the kitchen and started washing the dishes that were still in the sink.

"H-Hey Mira-nee?" Lisanna asked timidly.

Mira 'hmed' but didn't turn around.

"Umm...I-I don't think I m-meant what I said about L-Lucy," she admitted.

Mira's hands stopped moving but she didn't turn around. "Then why?" she asked quietly.

Lisanna didn't quite hear her. "What?"

Mira finally turned around and Lisanna flinched at the fury in her eyes. "Then why!?," she yelled. "Why would you say those awful things about her!? Lucy isn't anything like that at all! You had only just got back Lisanna! For everyone who was trapped on Tenrou Island, you've only been back for a couple of weeks! And when we finally do get back, we've all been too busy to just sit and talk most of the time before the Grand Magic Games and the Dragon Attack! So where, dear sister, did you find time to come to those awful conclusions of yours!?"

"I don't know!" Lisanna cried out. Tears were once again falling down her cheeks but she paid them no attention. "I don't know! Like you said I haven't been back long but people haven't been hanging out with me like they used to and Natsu hasn't been talking to me as much as he used to and nothing's the same! But I see Lucy talking to everyone and hanging out with them and joking and laughing and that used to be me! It's like–I-It's like I've been—"

"Replaced," Mira said softly. Lisanna looked at her and saw that some of her anger has disappeared but not all of it. "You feel like you've been replaced?"

Lisanna wiped her tears and looked away. "I didn't know what it was," she said quietly, "but now that I've had time to actually think about it...yes, it does feel like it."

Mira sighed and covered her face with her hand. "I think I can understand why you feel that way," she said softly, "but you shouldn't. You have to understand Lisanna, we all thought you were dead for two years. We all thought you were gone from our lives forever, and so we grieved and tried to accept the fact that you weren't coming back. And when we finally got used to it, Natsu brought Lucy to the guild. Lucy is one of those people who puts someone else's happiness before her own. Add on to the fact that she was just looking for a home like everyone else made her really likable. And that is what Fairy Tail is about Lisanna. Not about magic power or how strong our members are; Fairy Tail has always been about the bonds of family and that is why we're so strong."

Lisanna stared at the ground, shame filling her body and soul.

"And as for Natsu," Mira continued, "he found someone who was lost and had nowhere to go. It reminded him of how he was when Igneel first left him. And after getting to know her and hanging out and going on missions with her, he started respecting who she is. And then Gray got to know her more and started being the older brother she never had. Same with Erza, Lucy and her have a sibling-like bond. And after everything Erza has been through, having a bond like that was like breathing fresh air after being underground for so long. Maybe Lisanna, you should try to get to know her before you judge her."

And with that, Mira turned around and resumed washing the dishes, leaving Lisanna with a lot to think about.

~wWw~

Lucy, still clad in her Scorpio Star Dress, was bent over with her hands on her knees and breathing heavily. Jellal was in the same situation a couple of yards in front of her. The sun was almost out of sight and the moon was shining in the sky.

"Wow," Lucy said between breaths, "Capricorn wasn't kidding when he said I make my own attacks."

**~Flashback, Lucy's POV~ **

_"Wait, what?" I asked him, surprised. _

_Capricorn chuckled. "The Star Dresses do indeed grant you the same power as us Celestial Spirits, however, that doesn't necessarily mean that you get the same attacks as us. You must make your own," he stated. _

_Beside me, Jellal was blinking in confusion. "Make her own?" he asked. _

_Capricorn nodded. "Hai, use what you have at your disposal and imagine what you want your magic to do. The rest, you'll have to figure out on your own." _

**~Flashback Ends~ **

Jellal chuckled. "Yeah, that was a pretty good fight," he admitted.

Lucy grinned. "Can we go again?" she asked him.

Jellal's eyebrows shot to his hairline. "You want to spar again?" he asked incredulously.

Lucy laughed at his expression. "Of course! I want to get the feel of this magic and besides, it was kinda fun!" she said excitedly.

Jellal couldn't help but laugh at her excitement. He looked past her to look at their friends, who passed out from exhaustion a couple of minutes ago.

He sighed in resignation. "Oh alright, one more time," he conceded.

Lucy beamed and he felt a warm feeling in his chest as she did.

_What is she doing to me? _

"So," he started saying, "who's going to make the first move?"

"Age before beauty," Lucy said with a mischievous smile.

Jellal rolled his eyes playfully before getting into his attack stance. He held his hands out in front of him and yelled, "Star Bullet!"

Tiny balls of light shot from his hands and flew at top speeds towards Lucy.

Lucy slammed her hands on the ground and shouted, "Sand Wall!"

A ten-foot wall of sand erupted between her and the attack, stopping it in its tracks. Using her enhanced speed she moved from behind her barrier and, faster than the human eye could follow, appeared behind Jellal on all fours like a dog.

"Stinger's Strike!" Lucy shouted. The tail-like chain attached to her waist grew longer and shot towards Jellal's back.

But Jellal sensed the attack coming and used 'Meteor' to get out the way. The tail kept racing after him and only his sharp turns and evasions kept him from being hit.

Lucy recalled her 'tail' back, stood up and flung her arms out while shouting, "Sand Twister!"

A funnel of sand shot towards Jellal who, once again, used meteor to escape. When he managed to get a good distance away from the twister he shoved his hands forward while yelling, "Water Torrent!"

A big water wave crashed into Lucy's attack, turning it into a pile of mud.

Lucy pouted. "Aw, no fair!"

Jellal grinned and bowed playfully. "Why thank you," he said.

She glared at him but he could see the playfulness sparkling in her eyes. She punched the ground at her feet and yelled, "Quicksand!"

The ground under Jellal's feet quickly turned to quicksand and started pulling him down. His startled state gave Lucy the opportunity to use the Star Dress's enhanced speed to appear before him.

Before he can regain his bearings Lucy said, "Scorpion's Hold."

The chain-like tail once again extended but this time it wrapped around Jellal so tightly he could barely move.

Lucy smirked victoriously. "Yield," she said confidently.

Jellal sighed in resignation. "I yield."

Lucy grinned and canceled her quicksand attack as well as bringing her 'tail' back to its normal size.

"That was a good fight," he said casually. "You're pretty good at coming up with attacks with that sand of yours."

Lucy blushed at the praise. "Thanks, it's actually coming sorta easy for me," she confessed.

Jellal smiled. "That's good. Well, we should turn in for the night, it's getting late."

Lucy glanced at the sky and noticed that the sun was almost completely gone and that the stars were starting to shine.

_Wow, it's so pretty out here and you can see the stars more clearly now. This is what first intrigued me in Celestial Magic. Summoning spirits that represent the constellations in the crazy maze in the sky...it fascinated me. It still does._

Unbeknownst to Lucy, Jellal was studying her expressions that were crossing her face.

_She looks so at ease right now. So relaxed and peaceful. All of that from looking at the stars in the sky. I can't say I blame her, the stars are incredible to look at. But she's practically glowing with admiration for the secrets the sky holds. Is it strange I'm slightly jealous of the stars? _

Jellal laughed under his breath at the direction his thoughts have taken him and addressed Lucy. "Come on, we should turn in for the night," he said softly.

Lucy turned her gaze on him and smiled. "Ok, let's go."

Lucy's body glowed brightly and then she was back in her normal clothes. Without another word, they both turned in the direction of their friends and made their way over to them to turn in for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you all start protesting, Jellal can use Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth Magic because of the spell 'Abyss Break' he used in the Tower of Heaven Arc.
> 
> For those of you who don't know:  
Hai = Yes
> 
> This is a link to what Lucy's Scorpio Star Dress looks like:  
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjz6qL6xuPlAhXyGDQIHVixBRAQjRx6BAgBEAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Ffairytail.fandom.com%2Fwiki%2FStar_Dress%3A_Scorpio_Form&psig=AOvVaw04tBElOWnmgUwy1BmDoU7D&ust=1573609657012538


	9. Chapter Nine

It was barely sunrise. There was a slight chill in the air and a thin layer of fog on the ground. In the woods near the Crocus capital, we find four people and an exceed sleeping on the ground. Blue hair, pink hair, blonde hair, and white fur could be seen amongst the green that is the forest floor.

Wendy Marvell, Sky Dragon extraordinaire, was sleeping soundly in her sleeping bag with her exceed Carla curled up against her.

Meredy Milkovich, a user of the lost magic _Maguilty Sense_, was lying on her back, unaware of the slight drool going down her chin.

And finally, we have Jellal Fernandes and Lucy Heartfilia, who were both lying on their backs next to each other but had their hands up near their heads on the ground. However, the curious little detail is that the pinkies of their hands were touching.

Not so much as to be curled around the other but enough to be able to feel the warmth of the finger.

Out of the people laying there, it was Lucy that had begun to stir. Slowly but surely her consciousness returned to her. Her eyelids fluttered briefly before they opened completely. She quickly blinked away the blurriness and saw the early morning light and, turning her head to the left, the cloud-like fog that surrounded her and her friends on the forest floor. A warm breeze was gently washing over her, making her feel content but also igniting a shiver down her spine.

Feeling a slight warmth on her right hand Lucy turned her head to see what it was. And promptly blushed the color of Erza's hair.

Jellal was sleeping less than two feet away with his left hand outstretched slightly and his pinkie finger was touching hers. The 'warm breeze' she thought she felt was actually his breath as he breathed in and out.

And Lucy, being the intense bookworm that she was blushed even more when a particular myth she read about came to mind.

_'There is a vein in your body that leads from the heart to the pinkie, so small that it is sometimes overlooked. That is why when we promise things from the heart we wrap our pinkies together. It is said that the Kami have destined everyone with someone they're supposed to meet. That this person is meant to be at your side and to be with you forever after you have met. The Kami has tied these people together with an invisible red string only they can see, with each end being tied around a person's pinkie. It is better known as 'The Red String Of Fate'. It can get twisted, tangled, or stretched but it can never be broken, for the two people who've been connected by the string are destined by the Kami themselves.'_

Lucy stared at Jellal for a moment longer before she retracted her hand ever so slowly, and got up from her sleeping bag.

_Wow...I don't even know how we got that close, much less how we came to touch. But it felt so warm like you're sitting in front of a fireplace and you stick your hands out in front of you. I know it sounds strange but...now my whole hand feels cold. _

With a final glance towards Jellal, Lucy went off to freshen up—and to clear her head. Minutes later she was pulling on clean clothes courtesy of Virgo and was about to head back towards the others when she had second thoughts.

_They're probably still sleeping. It couldn't hurt to go walking around for a bit and see more of the forest. _

With her heart set, Lucy picked a random direction and started walking. With the fog on the ground, it made it kind of hard to see where she's stepping. So a few minutes later, when she came to a small clearing with a clear view of the sunrise, she almost missed the edge of a small cliff. Luckily, her newfound reflexes allowed her to safely avoid the fall.

With the immediate danger out of the way, Lucy took her time looking at the sunrise. The sun itself was starting to peek out from behind a hill and it bathed the valley below in a beautiful golden light. Even the fog seemed to slowly dissipate when hit by the sun's rays.

As she stared at this enchanting scene of nature, Lucy was reminded of a song her mother would sing to her when she woke up early in the morning sometimes. If she closed her eyes, she can imagine her mother right next to her, singing the first two lines.

_Kimi no koe ga_

_Yobiau sono hikari he._

Lucy smiled and opened her eyes. Then, started singing the rest of the song herself:

"Usuginu goshi ni ima

Sekai wo mitsumeteru.

"Tobenai kago no naka

hane wo chijimete.

"Kaze wataru mori he to

saki tsugu hana-tachi no.

"Kokyuu wo mane shite

hane wo sotto yuraseba.

"Hora, kimi no koe ga.

"Kataku tojita mama

uzukumaru

kono ashimoto

terasu yo.

"Kizamareta mirai ga tooku

mienai basho demo,

Osore wo, nugisutete.

"Kimi no moto he.

"Fureawanakute mo tsutawaru

tashika na omoi ga.

"Nando demo, mukuo tsuyosa ni naru.

"Kawatte yuku tame ni." **(A/N: Can anyone guess what anime I got this song from?) **

Lucy smiled as she stopped singing. A few tears were in her eyes at the memory of singing this song with her mother when she was little but her mood was one of contentment.

That is, it was until a voice spoke up from behind her and almost scared her senseless.

"That was perhaps the most beautiful thing I have ever had the pleasure of hearing," it said.

Lucy whirled around, unconsciously dropping into a self-defense stance Jellal taught her. Only to see the man himself leaning against the tree smiling at her.

She straightened up. "Oh, Jellal, I didn't even hear you walk up," she admitted.

Jellal's smile widened a little bit. "You were so concentrated on your song it's not all that surprising that you didn't hear me. But really, about your singing, I meant what I said."

Lucy blushed slightly. "Really?" she asked shyly. "I mean, I don't really try singing that much on my own so this was the first time I've done it in years by myself."

"Well to me, from how you sounded, I would've thought that singing would be a hobby of yours. When I was still trapped in the Tower ff Heaven and the younger kids would get even more scared than they already were, Milliana and Erza would always sing to calm them down. They've got really good voices but I'm betting if you three had a contest, you'd take the cake," he informed her.

Lucy laughed. "Maybe, but I don't think I should take Erza's cake."

"True. Most people would like to walk away with both their hands."

"Hands? Try their life."

"Touché."

They both looked at each other before bursting out into laughter. Lucy wrapped her arms around herself so she can remain standing and Jellal had to brace himself against the tree he was leaning on.

"Wow," Jellal said as he wiped away a tear from his laughing, "I haven't laughed liked that in a long time. I needed that."

Lucy curtsied in an exaggerated motion. "Glad to be of service," she said seriously.

And just like that, there were laughing again.

Unnoticed by both of them was a girl with pink hair peering at them from behind a tree, smiling a blinding smile at what she was seeing.

_She did it. She actually made him laugh. I don't know how you're doing it but you're amazing Lucy. You're changing him for the better and I don't even think you're conscious of what you're doing. And even if you're not, I'd like to say thank you when the time is right. You're _healing_ him, and I'm really grateful. _

~wWw~

A beam of sunlight woke the white-haired Take Over Mage from her sleep. But she set up her curtains that way so she can rise with the sun. That way, she'll get to the guild early enough so she can start making the food.

Mira got out of her bed and made her way to her shower. She sighed as she felt the warm water soaking her hair and cascade down her back. She stood under the warm spray of water for a minute, thinking about what Lisanna said last night.

She didn't know she felt that way. She didn't know that she felt all those things she said. But that didn't excuse the things she said about Lucy and it didn't excuse her behavior in the guild. The members of Fairy Tail weren't just people who joined and took jobs for money. They were all members of the Fairy Tail family, sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews and cousins, and even moms and dads. And with Master Makarov as the grandfather.

Mira saw Lucy as her younger sister and treated her as such. And she, along with the rest of the guild, don't take too kindly to those who insult and/or threaten a member of their family. Even if that person is someone from their own guild. The so-called 'Battle of Fairy Tail' is proof of that.

After Mira got out of the shower and had gotten dressed, she went to her living to grab her things before she left. To her surprise she found Lisanna sitting on the couch in regular clothes and reading a book.

"Lisanna? What are doing up so early?"

Lisanna glanced at her briefly before returning her attention to her book. "I couldn't really get to sleep," she admitted. "I've been awake for a while now."

Mira stared at her for a moment longer before she sighed. "Well, come on then. No use just sitting around the house."

Lisanna looked at her uneasily. "I don't think I'll go today nee-chan. Maybe I'll just walk around Magnolia or something," she said.

Mira rolled her eyes. "No, you are coming with me and helping out at the guild. Maybe later you can take a mission if you feel too cooped up," she said with finality in her tone.

Lisanna looked at her pleadingly. "But nee-chan, they....they probably all hate me," she said in a small voice.

Mira refused to let up. "Tough, get over it," she said in a hard tone.

Lisanna looked at her with wide eyes but Mira cut off what she was going to say. "You made your bed now you have to sleep in it," she said sternly. "Own up to your actions instead of cowering and hiding like a coward. Now let's go."

When Mira used that voice, there's no way you can say no. Knowing this, Lisanna nodded glumly and followed her sister out the door.

Minutes later when they arrived at the guild there were hardly any people around. However, the people who were there, shot Lisanna looks that clearly said 'we haven't forgiven what you said about Lucy'. In response, she just moved closer to Mira.

An hour later they had food and drinks all ready to serve to everyone who started pouring in. Most of them ignored Lisanna and she did the same. The only people she was truly hesitant to see were the remaining members of Team Natsu. Well, them and Levy. Who knew such a quiet and short girl could slap that hard?

The sun was high in the sky before Erza and Gray walked in together. As they walked towards the bar they caught sight of Lisanna and dark scowls took place on their faces. But they didn't say anything and sat down at the bar and ordered food from Mira.

Lisanna took notice of their scowls but pretended to not see them. She knew she should apologize for what she said but she couldn't bring forth the courage to.

The guild doors opened again and this time it was Natsu and Happy who came in. The guild went quiet for a second as Natsu stared hard in Lisanna's direction. She felt his gaze on her but, just like with the others, she couldn't find the courage to face him head-on.

After a while, he approached the bar but he ignored Lisanna completely. Happy, however, shot her a gaze filled with so much venom that Lisanna almost didn't realize it was Happy who did it.

The guild steadily regained its noisy atmosphere but the tension was still in the air. And just as it was starting to leave, the guild doors again flew open and banged against the inside of the guild.

The noise died out again as everyone looked at the person who caused it. When Lisanna saw who it was she couldn't help but wince slightly.

_Oh, shit...it just had to be **her**. _

It was none other than Levy McGarden. And you can tell by looking at her that she was still pissed about yesterday.

Like the other members of Team Natsu, her eyes roamed the guild before they rested on Lisanna. But, unlike the others, she didn't ignore her. Oh no. She walked up to her, placed her hands on her hips, and started tapping her foot impatiently.

Lisanna and everyone else in the guild was confused by the Script Mage's actions. Gajeel, however, had a bowl of popcorn and was relaxing as he 'enjoyed the show'.

"Well?" Levy demanded.

Lisanna was still confused. "Well what?" she asked.

Levy arched a brow. "Aren't you going to apologize for how you acted yesterday?" she asked in a 'no duh' tone.

Lisanna flinched slightly but didn't back down. "No," she said with conviction.

Dead.

Silence.

You couldn't even hear anyone breathing.

Levy's eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared in a clear sign of anger. "No?" she asked quietly but her tone was clearly one of fury. "You're not going to apologize for acting like a whiny bitch?"

Lisanna flinched again. "No...because I'm going to wait until Lucy gets back so I can say it to her face," she said.

Levy scoffed. "Whatever, you better. But there's on old saying you should know; 'Beauty is as beauty does.' And what you did yesterday was really ugly," she hissed out.

Silence once again reigned inside the guild. Before anyone can say anything about what Levy said, the door to Master's office opened and he stepped out.

"Is everything okay out here?" he asked.

Levy smiled and any trace that she was mad was totally gone. "Everything's just fine master," she said sweetly.

Everyone but Makarov sweatdropped at Levy's change in personality.

"Actually," Levy said, her demeanor changing to one of seriousness, "there was something I wanted to ask you, Master."

Makarov's brow flew to his hairline. "Oh? And what would that be?" he asked. Everyone was listening to what they were saying.

Levy steeled her nerves. "Where are Lucy, Wendy, and Carla? Really?" she asked.

At that question, everyone looked to the Master. He seemed to be sweating profusely. "What do you mean Levy? I told you they went on a—"

Levy cut him off. "I don't think so. Lucy's been acting weird ever since the GMG's and I saw her go to your office _without_ Wendy and Carla. After she left, Wendy and Carla went in your office as well and _then_ rushed out after her," Levy stated firmly.

"Also," Mira spoke up, "there's no record of Lucy, Wendy, or Carla having taken a job in the last couple of days."

Natsu stood up. "Well, Jiji? What the hell is going on?" he asked urgently.

Master looked at everyone and saw they had the same look of urgency that Natsu had. He sighed.

_I am sorry Lucy but they've backed me into the corner. I'll keep them from going after you but I have no choice but to let them know now. _

"You are right Levy, Mira," he said quietly, "they aren't on a mission."

Gray stood up next. "So!? Where the hell are they!?" he asked incredulously.

Master sighed again, knowing the exact reaction they were gonna have at his next words. "Lucy, Wendy, and Carla," he began, "have taken a temporary leave of absence from the guild."

There was silence.

And then—"WHAT?!"

The windows of the guild rattled from the yelling.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY LEFT?!" Team Natsu yelled in unison.

Makarov sighed. "I meant exactly what I said."

Natsu started for the door. "That's it! I'm gonna go find her right now!" he shouted.

"Aye, sir!" Happy yelled as he flew after him.

But before they can step out, they were grabbed by Master's 'giant' hands.

"I've said this the first day and I'll say it again now," he said lowly. "You will do no such thing."

"But Jiji—" he started saying but quickly fell silent at his glare.

Master let them go as he said, "They aren't gone forever, they've merely taken a training trip. They should be back in a couple of months or so."

"But why wouldn't she have invited or at least told us?" Gray asked while gesturing to the rest of the group. "We're supposed to be a team."

"Lucy wanted to do this alone and she didn't want anybody worrying about her," he explained, "the only reason Wendy and Carla are with her is that Wendy overheard us talking and wanted to go with her."

"But," Erza started saying, "why would she think she needs to get stronger?"

No one had an answer to that.

Levy was taking everything rather hard.

_I wish you could've told me how you felt Lu-chan. I understand it though, that's just the type of person you are. And like I said before, I'll support you all the way. _

Gray was feeling his 'big brother' protective streak kicking in.

_Damn it imōuto, I wish you could've told me about this. I swear to Kami-sama that when you get back I'll help you in any way I can. _

Happy, surprisingly, was thinking about why Lucy had left.

_Levy said that she's been acting weird since the Grand Magic Games. Let's see...she lost to Flare and Minerva. That could be it but Flare was cheating and only a couple people in the guild could've taken on Minerva and won. Before the last day of the games, she was thrown in jail by the Royal Guards with Yukino. Me, Carla, Lily, Mira, and Natsu went to rescue her but were thrown into that creepy cavern under the castle. And then we fought the Hungry Wolf Knights, but we were able to beat them. And then we were let out of that creepy dungeon by...Future Lucy! _

"That's it!" he yelled out, forgetting that he was surrounded by other people.

"That's what Happy?" Levy asked.

"I think I know why Lucy left to get stronger, and why Wendy and Carla went with her," he answered.

"Well?" Romeo spoke up. "What is it?"

Happy's mood changed to a solemn one. "The only people," he said quietly, "that know about it, other than Lucy, are Princess Hisui, Colonel Aracadios, Loke, Natsu, Wendy, Carla, Lily, and me. Oh, and Crime Sorciere."

Natsu went rigid. "Wait," he whispered, "you mean....you mean **_that_**?"

Happy nodded sadly. "Yeah....they need to know Natsu."

Natsu said nothing but got up and made his way from the guild, slamming the doors on his way out.

Erza looked to Happy. "What happened Happy?" she asked. Not only did she want to know what happened but she also wants to know how Crime Sorciere is involved.

_How do you know about this, Jellal? _

Happy took a breath before beginning his tale. "You guys know how Rogue came from the future? Well, he wasn't the only one."

"He wasn't?" Laxus spoke up, surprised.

Happy shook his head. "No, someone else came back too. Someone on our side and was the one who led us through the castle."

"Who was it?" Cana asked, surprisingly sober.

At this point, Happy seemed to hesitate. So Lily spoke up.

"It was Lucy," he said.

Everyone's eyes widened in shock. "Wait wait wait," Gray said. "You're saying it was Lucy who also came back from the future?"

"Hai."

"Damn," Gajeel said. "Well, what happened next Lily?"

The exceed sighed. "Future Lucy told us about the dragons so we were trying to find a way out the castle to warn you guys. But before we could get out, we were surrounded by the Royal Guards and the Hungry Wolf Knights again."

"Kami-sama," Kinana breathed out in shock, everyone mirroring her expression. "And then?"

Happy took over the story. "When it looked like we were gonna lose, a huge shadow covered the floor and swallowed everyone up. That's when Future Rogue showed up. He told us about the future but in his version, he said it was all Lucy's fault."

Happy started crying so Levy came over and wrapped him up in a hug. "H-He t-threw a sword made o-of s-shadows at o-our L-Lucy but t-the one from the f-f-future jumped i-in the way a-and took the hit i-i-instead," he sobbed.

Everyone else either had tears in their eyes or rolling down their cheeks.

Happy began to hyperventilate. "T-T-There w-w-was b-blood—*gasp*—THERE WAS SO MUCH BLOOD!" he exclaimed.

Mira hurried over to calm him down. Even people like Laxus and Gajeel had tears in their eyes at hearing the story.

Gray was holding onto a crying Juvia but he was seconds away from breaking down himself.

Gajeel was comforting Levy who seemed to be almost close to hyperventilating as much as Happy was.

Alzack and Bisca were hugging a crying Asuka while trying to hide their own tears.

Bixlow was comforting Cana, who was thinking about everything Lucy had done for her.

Evergreen was dabbing at her eyes while muttering something that sounded like ‘a true queen of the fairies.’

Erza was trying to control how much she was shaking, the situation was reminding her of Simon's sacrifice.

It took a while for everyone to calm down. And even when they did it was Lily who continued the story. "There was nothing we could do. She...she had lost too much blood for Wendy to heal her. Loke and Natsu were in too much emotional shock to move. Before she died, Future Lucy asked us to protect the future."

Even Makarov, who already heard this story from Lucy, was crying tears of sadness.

By this point, Happy had calmed down and continued on where Lily left off. "Future Rogue tried to attack our Lucy again but Natsu punched him in the face and drove him back. He told us to get Lucy out of there while he handled Future Rogue. That was the first time in a long time that I had seen him cry," he finished sadly, still sniffing.

The only sound left in the guild were tears falling to the ground.

"Wait, you said the princess and the guy in the white armor knew about it. How'd they know?" Gray asked, trying to get his emotions in check

"And Jellal...a-and Meredy and Ultear," Erza added.

Lily spoke up that okay. "When we caught up to Princess Hisui and Colonel Arcadios they asked us what happened to her so I told them," he answered.

Happy added. "And Natsu told me that Ultear and Meredy helped him out against Future Rogue. And when I was looking for Lucy after that dragon threw her, I saw them telling Jellal what happened," he said.

Silence, again, reigned supreme inside the guild.

Then, the master spoke up. "Now you know," he said quietly, "now you know why she had to go on this trip. And considering Wendy's relationship with her and Carla's relationship with Wendy, can you honestly blame them for wanting to do this? Can you really go out there and find them and demand they return home? Can any of you honestly tell me you would do that?"

Everyone squirmed in their seats when they realize the full reason for Lucy, Wendy, and Carla's leaving.

Then Levy spoke up. "Even before I knew the real reason Lu-chan left, I supported her leaving. She's my best friend and I know she always does things for a reason. I respect her decision," she said with finality in her tone.

After she spoke, people were nodding along with her reasoning - including a very reluctant Team Natsu.

"Oh, and Lisanna," Levy said as she turned towards her, "now you can really see what kind of person Lucy Heartfilia is."

Everyone glanced between the two, not wanting to break the silence. Lisanna however, was thinking about what Levy said.

_She's right. I don't know who she really is and I judged her without getting to know her and without a need to. When she gets back, I'm gonna try hard to be her friend and not just a jealous observer._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who think I've made Levy a little OC, you have to admit that she gets an attitude with people who insult her friends or herself. I mean, she did hit Gajeel with her bag hard enough to knock him down when he insulted her.
> 
> And those who haven't figured out where I got the song Lucy sang from, it was an opening for an anime called 'Red Data Girl'. 
> 
> And finally, Mira needed to set Lisanna straight. Yes, she didn't mean to insult Lucy the way she did but she needs to own up to her mistake and not hide from everyone.


	10. Chapter Ten

  
Meredy quietly left Jellal and Lucy and ran quietly back to the others. When she got there she saw Wendy meditating but no sign of Carla. Wendy's eyes opened when she stepped closer.    
  
"Hi Meredy-chan, did you find them?" she asked her.    
  
Meredy grinned at that. "Yep. And you wouldn't _believe_ what I saw," she gushed.    
  
She explained what she saw when she followed Jellal to the clearing, from the singing to the laughing.    
  
By the end, Wendy had joined Meredy in grinning like The Cheshire Cat. "Aw! They are _so_ sweet together!" she squealed.    
  
(Back at the guild, Mira sneezed.)   
  
Meredy nodded rapidly. "I know right?! And they even have similar magic!"   
  
"A match made in the stars!" Wendy clasped her hands in front of her.    
  
Meredy sighed dramatically. "I can see what's happening."   
  
"What?"   
  
"And they don't have a clue!"   
  
"Who?"   
  
"They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line, our squad's now down to two!"   
  
"Oh!"   
  
They made eye contact and immediately burst out laughing.  **(A/N: Sorry I couldn't resist 😂)** .   
  
"So where's Carla?" Meredy said as she calmed down.   
  
"She wanted to see how long she can use her aerial magic now so she's off flying," Wendy explained.    
  
Meredy 'hummed' in realization. She then got an idea. "Hey Wendy, can you help out with something?" she asked.    
  
Wendy looked over at her. "Sure, what do you need?"   
  
"I want to practice my dodging ability, so do you think you can like, you know, use some attacks on me?" she asked.    
  
Wendy's eyes widened. "You mean you want me to attack you?" she asked in bewilderment.   
  
Meredy nodded. "Yeah. Compared to you, Lucy, and Jellal, I don't really have a lot of magic attacks in my arsenal. I figured that if I manage to not get hit by an enemy's hits, I'll have enough time to retaliate against them," she explained.   
  
Wendy still looked unconvinced. "I guess so," she said hesitantly, "but, what if I end up hurting you?"   
  
Meredy shrugged. "I'm a mage, getting hurt is part of the job description," she said matter-of-factly. "Besides, even if I do end up getting hurt, I have the Sky Dragon Slayer standing right in front of me. You'll heal me if it gets too serious."   
  
Wendy hesitated for a second longer, studying Meredy intensely, before sighing in defeat. "Okay," she conceded. "I'll do it."   
  
Meredy grinned in triumph. "Yatta!" she shouted out in glee.   
  
She skipped away a couple of yards before turning around and facing Wendy again. "Alright, Wendy," she said, "bring it on!"   
  
Wendy took a breath before nodding. "Right!"   
  
She inhaled. "Sky Dragon Roar!"   
  
The hurricane-like blast of wind came hurling at Meredy at high speeds. She twisted out the way just in time. She looked back at Wendy to see what she'd do next but saw she wasn't there.   
  
_ Huh? Where'd she go?  _   
  
She got her answer in the form of a shout coming from above her.   
  
Sky Dragon Wing Attack!"   
  
Meredy did a couple of backflips and ended in a handspring that barely managed to get her out the way of Wendy's attack.   
  
_ Wow, sometimes I forget how powerful Wendy is. Now I know why she was hesitant to do this with me at first.  _   
  
"Sky Dragon Crushing Fang!"   
  
Meredy executed another backflip to escape from Wendy's up-close-and-personal attack and, not only avoided the attack but clipped Wendy's chin, making her fly back a few feet and land on the ground in a heap.   
  
"Oh my gosh!" Meredy exclaimed. "Wendy, are you okay?"   
  
Wendy sat up groaning and rubbing her chin. "I'm okay," she said a little dazedly.    
  
She got to her feet unsteadily and smiled slightly at Meredy. "It's like you said, being a mage automatically means you're going to get hurt. I'll be fine," she said.   
  
Meredy sighed in relief. "Okay, good," she said.   
  
At that moment, Carla flew back towards them, panting in an exhausted manner. "Hello, girls," she said she managed to say between breaths.   
  
"Hey Carla," Meredy said cheerfully. "Are you alright?"   
  
She nodded. "Yes, I'm just a little tired out from testing my aerial magic. I can use it longer now but when I'm done I feel extremely tired," she replied.   
  
Wendy 'hmmed' in acknowledgment.   
  
After taking another deep breath, Carla began talking again. "So, what are you guys doing?" she asked.   
  
"I'm testing my dodging abilities and agility," Meredy replied. "I asked Wendy to fire some of her attacks at me so I can dodge them."   
  
Carla looked a little worried at that. "Are you sure that's alright?" she asked.   
  
Meredy sighed and nodded. "Hai, I'm sure. It'll help out in the long run," she answered.   
  
Carla had to agree at that.    
  
_ I suppose that is true, a couple of life's great teachers are Trial and Error. Once you know how to fail, you'll know how to succeed. _   
  
Wendy cleared her throat. "Well, do you still want to do this?" she asked.   
  
Meredy nodded in affirmation. "Hai, I'm sure," she said with conviction.   
  
Wendy nodded while Carla moved off to the side. "Alright, here we go again."   
  
As Wendy geared up another attack and Meredy got on guard, a screamed pierced the otherwise quiet air.   
  
All three of the girls stiffened at the sound. That one noise was filled with a lot of emotions but the most prominent ones were fear and pain.   
  
And unfortunately, all three of them recognized the voice.   
  
_ Lucy. _   
  
~wWw~   
  
**(A Couple Minutes After Meredy Left Them)**   
  
After the laughter died down, Lucy sat at the cliff edge with her legs dangling over the side. Jellal sat next to her, far enough away to be considered not bursting her personal bubble but still close enough to wrap an arm around her in the case she needed to be consoled.   
  
For a few minutes, they watched as the sun slowly started rising into the sky in comfortable silence.   
  
Jellal sighed. "I wish everything can be as bright and as pure as this. Kami-sama knows I'm sure as hell not," he said in a regretful tone.   
  
Lucy looked at him, shocked by what he said. "What do you mean by that?" she asked in confusion.   
  
Jellal let out a bark of laughter that didn't have a trace of humor in it. Instead, it was filled with self-loathing. "I ruined so many lives. I forced them to build that stupid Tower of Heaven and I...I-I killed S-Simon," he said brokenly.   
  
Lucy shook her head. "But that wasn't you, Jellal," she said quietly.   
  
"Yes, it was," he responded immediately. "It was my body, my magic, and my hand that did it. Simon died by _ my _ hand."   
  
Lucy kept quiet while staring at the rising sun. Jellal didn't bother to start a conversation with her either. He was convinced that she was starting to realize the truth about what he really is.

A monster.  
  
_ At least she realized it sooner rather than later. I ruin everything and everyone I touch or get close to. The only reason I let Meredy travel with me is that she's sort of in the same boat as I. Maybe we should leave Lucy, Wendy, and Carla. They'll be better off without-. _   
  
"You're right, but you're also wrong," Lucy's voice broke him out of his thoughts.   
  
He looked at her in shock. "What?" he asked. "How can I be right but also wrong?"   
  
She smiled at him. "It  _ was _ your hand and your magic that did those things but it wasn't your will," she said. "Tell me something. If someone used illusion magic to look like you and then went around committing criminal acts, does that make you guilty?"   
  
"Well, no," Jellal frowned, "It wasn't me who did those things, it was the person who disguised themselves as me. They're the ones responsible."   
  
Lucy's smile grew larger. "Well, that's similar to your situation. Anyone could've wound up where you were and been overtaken by Zeref's influence. You were basically turned into a puppet and had your strings pulled by Oracion Seis and Grimoire Heart. You never wanted to do any of the things you were forced to, and _ that  _ is  what makes you innocent," she stated confidently.   
  
Jellal stared at her in shock. He never thought of it that way, never considered another possibility.   
  
"I...I never thought of it that way," he finally admitted. "How can you think of things like this? How can you be so open to other things?"   
  
Lucy took a minute to think and Jellal let her gather her thoughts. He really wanted to know her answer to his question.   
  
"Well," she started saying slowly, "I'd like to say that it was my mother's weight. Before she died, she always taught me about a phrase called, 'There are two sides to every coin'. Basically, it meant that there are always different views in situations."   
  
Lucy turned so her body was fully facing Jellal's and she smiled at him. "You learn the full story from every angle and then you make your own judgment. It's how I've always been, and how I'll always be," she said.   
  
Jellal couldn't help but stare at her in astonishment.   
  
_ She's amazing. She just corrected almost every insecurity I have about myself. I somehow feel...lighter, like there was an unknown weight that has been lifted from shoulders. Thank you, Lucy.  _   
  
He was shocked even further when Lucy put her hand on his cheek and wiped away something. It was tears.   
  
"Why are you crying?" she asked quietly, confused as to what brought this on.   
  
_ Did what I said made it worse? _   
  
Jellal smiled slightly at her. "I think...I think I'm just happy to know that you don't think of me as a monster," he said.   
  
"I can never think of you that way," she admitted. "I'd gotten to know you over that past couple days and, honestly, you don't have it in you to inflict pain on others for no reason. You're a good person Jellal. And I'm pretty sure that Wendy and Carla feel the same way."   
  
Jellal smiled again and leaned into her hand whilst closing his eyes, feeling truly at peace for the first time in a long while.   
  
"You know," he said softly after a moment, not opening his eyes, "the phrase 'Time Heals All Wounds' comes to mind. I don't think it's true though. You'll always be left with a kind of scar that'll remind you of the pain."   
  
Lucy chuckled lowly but didn't remove her hand from his face. "Maybe. But the scars can also remind you of your resolve to not feel the pain again," she suggested.    
  
Jellal's eyes opened and studied her face for a moment. Lucy felt as if he was looking for something in her expression so she tried to convey without words that she meant was she said.    
  
He finally smiled and closed his eyes again, leaning his head back into her hand. "That's a good way of looking at it," he murmured.    
  
Lucy held back the urge to shiver as she felt his breath brush against her hand lightly.    
  
After a moment, as she was about to take her hand away, she saw a shadow quickly approaching them from behind Jellal.    
  
She pushed him out the way with a quick shout of "Look out!"   
  
Whatever it was moved too fast for her to see, but in the next moment, something slashed at the skin on her collarbone and chest.    
  
She fell back with a cry of pain that transformed into a scream of fear when she started falling over the cliff edge.    
  
Only her fast reflexes taught to her by Capricorn and Jellal allowed her to quickly grab the ledge before she fell.    
  
The pain was blooming across her chest and it was starting to affect her focus. She saw the shadow towering above her but her head was ringing from the blood loss and she couldn't make out any distinct features.    
  
Suddenly, the shadow was blasted away by some kind of light.    
  
"LUCY!"   
  
_ Jellal? _   
  
In the next moment, Jellal was in her line of sight and was reaching a hand down towards her. "Here, grab my hand!" he shouted.    
  
Lucy wasted no time in reaching out to grab it with the hand that wasn't holding onto the ledge. And Jellal wasted no time in hoisting her up and away from the edge.    
  
Jellal set her down and clutched her face between her hands, looking worriedly at her face. "Are you ok?" he asked.    
  
Before she could say anything though, Jellal spotted the wound and blood on her front and his face paled.    
  
"Oh, Kami-sama," he breathed out in shock.   
  
Jellal didn't know what happened, all he knew is it all happened so fast. One second, he was sitting on the ground next to Lucy, and the next second, she was shouting and pushing him out of the way of something.    
  
Her scream shook him to the core as he saw her go over the cliff. And then, he finally saw what she protected him from.    
  
It was a tiger. Now, it wasn't some random one that you see in a zoo or even what some crazy rich person would have as a pet.    
  
It was a fifteen foot-long, eight-foot-high animal, with razor-sharp claws and dagger-like teeth.    
  
After he managed to pull her up and away from the edge he saw the slashes and blood on her. It made him sick to his stomach with worry and guilt.    
  
"Oh, Kami-sama."   
_   
_ _ If she hadn't pushed me out the way, she wouldn't be like this. But, I know I would've done the same if I were in her shoes so I can't be too mad at her. _   
  
The huge tiger roared so loud that the ground seemed to shake under them. It lunged to try clawing at them but Jellal used is 'Meteor' spell to move them out the way. That didn't deter it though. It turned around and watched them like a predator would its prey, which ironically, they are.   
  
_ It's not going to leave us alone unless either we're dead or it's down.  _   
  
"Okay, listen, Lucy," Jellal said intently, staring at her, "you have to stay back. This...this thing is going to keep attacking us so you're going to have to stay back-"   
  
"No," she protested weakly, "you can't fight it on your own."   
  
"Well you can't help me, you're too injured," he tried reasoning with her.    
  
Unfortunately, Lucy got that look in her eye that said 'there's-no-use-arguing-with-me-because-you-know-I'll-win-anyway-so-stop-talking'.   
  
Jellal sighed. "Troublesome woman," he grumbled halfheartedly.    
  
He then grinned tiredly. "Well if you insist. Only jump in if it's absolutely necessary though," he warned.    
  
Lucy smiled and nodded.    
  
Jellal leaned her against a tree behind her before turning back to the huge beast.    
  
Without preamble, he attacked. Uses of his Meteor spell and his elemental attacks, he kept the thing on its toes and started pushing it back towards the cliff.   
  
However, he wasn't fighting at full strength so the beast caught Jellal off guard and pushed him back. He hit his head on the ground and became a bit dazed.   
  
Lucy gasped in horror.    
  
_ No!  _   
  
Lucy, despite the pain, began moving forward. To her, everything was slowed down.    
  
The oversized tiger leaped towards Jellal.    
  
Lucy reached a hand towards her Celestial Keys, touched a random spirit's key, and poured all the magic she could into it while shouting 'Star Dress' out in her head.    
  
She felt more than saw her transformation. She didn't know which spirit's Star Dress she was now wearing. All she knew was that Jellal was in trouble.    
  
She reached him just as the beast was about to pounce. Feeling weird, unnatural strength running through her, she reared her right arm back and punched it hard in the face, sending it back and over the cliff, out of sight.    
  
Time resumed normally.    
  
Lucy felt her magic leave her and the Star Dress fade away to be replaced by what she was wearing earlier.    
  
Weariness and exhaustion were spreading through her entire being and she couldn't bring forth the energy to stay on her feet.    
  
She collapsed. She felt someone catch her though, right before her body was supposed to hit the ground.    
  
Worried eyes stared down at her.    
  
"Are you okay? Lucy! Hey, c'mon, say something!"   
  
She smiled at the caring tone he used. Unable to keep her eyes open any longer, she allowed them to flutter shut and embrace the awaiting darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the ones who haven't realized what song Meredy and Wendy were singing, it was the beginning of 'Can You Feel The Love Tonight' from Lion King.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Meredy and Wendy ran as fast as they could with Carla flying above them. A common thought running through all of their heads is:   
_   
_ _ What could make Lucy scream that way? _   
  
As they got closer to where they presumed the scream came from they heard Jellal's voice shouting. And what they heard him shout made their blood run cold.   
  
"Are you okay? Lucy! Hey, c’mon, say something!"   
  
When they heard that, they quickened their paces.    
  
Wendy, in particular, was having a minor panic attack. Worry was beginning to build up inside her as she imagined what terrible things could have happened to her 'big sister'. The only thing that was helping her keep her head is the fact that she's a healer and that she'll be needed to help Lucy heal...whatever it is that needed to be healed.   
  
However, no matter how many times they've mentally prepared themselves, no matter how many times they told themselves that they'll be able to handle it, nothing could've prepared them for the sight they came to.    
  
Lucy was on the ground bleeding from deep gashes chest, her face pale and her blood oozing out a dark, dark red.    
  
Jellal was bent over her, frantically trying to stop the blood from gushing out like a geyser in the ground. His hands were covered in the sticky substance, pulsing through his fingers and running down his hand.    
  
But what shocked them the most was his face. It was pale (like Juvia pale) and held a panicked expression. His eyes held a haunted look that Meredy hadn't seen in years and were filling up with tears.    
  
Jellal was snapped out of his panicking by Wendy's voice.   
  
"Jellal, what happened to Lucy-nee? What attacked you guys?" Wendy called out frantically as she dropped next to them, her magic already swirling around her hands.   
  
Jellal didn't answer. He was too busy staring at his hands. His  _ blood-soaked _ hands.   
  
"JELLAL!" Meredy shouted out, snapping him out of his shock.   
  
"Sorry, what were you saying?" he asked Wendy.   
  
Still working over Lucy with a concerned frown on her face, Wendy reiterated her question. "It was some kind of tiger," Jellal answered. "How's Lucy?"   
  
"She'll be fine," she answered him. "She had some internal bleeding but I've already taken care of that and I'll stitch the wound closed so she can't bleed anymore. The skin in the area will be sore and shouldn't be overworked too much but other than that, she should make a fine recovery."   
  
Jellal let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. "That's good," he stated with relief, Meredy nodding along with his statement.   
  
A few minutes later, Wendy looked up from her work and wiped her perspiring forehead. "There, all done. She should be waking up soon, the only reason she passed out was because of the pain."   
  
Meredy nodded in acceptance to what she was saying but noticed that Jellal had a slight frown on his face. "Jellal? Is there something wrong?" she asked him.    
  
Jellal's eyes flashed to her face before flickering back to Lucy's. "Why'd she do it?" he asked quietly. So softly, that Meredy and Wendy had a hard time hearing what he said.    
  
"Why'd she do what?" Wendy questioned. She exchanged confused looks with Meredy.    
  
"Why'd she push me out of the way? I was the one about to be attacked. Why did she push me out the way and take the hit herself? She almost died for Kami-sama’s sake!" he let out in a rush.   
  
Meredy didn't have an answer for that. She didn’t know Lucy as well as she wanted to.    
  
"That's just who she is," Wendy said quietly, staring at the girl she thought of like an older sister. "She can act all girly and maybe say a complaint or two, but when it comes down to it, she'll protect those she cares about with a fierceness you wouldn't have thought she had."   
  
"She's right," Carla spoke up, "Happy told me that while we were getting attacked on Tenrou Island by The Seven Kin of Purgatory" - Meredy flinched - "Lucy was almost crushed to death by Kain because she refused to leave Natsu's side after he was trapped under some rocks. She refused to leave him alone while he was helpless."   
  
Meredy and Jellal were speechless. They knew about Lucy's kind nature and about how she protects her friends and celestial spirits, like a true Fairy Tail wizard. But hearing first hand about something she did was surprising, to say the least.    
  
Wendy opened her mouth but then seem to hesitate, glancing between Jellal and Meredy.    
  
Jellal noticed first. "Is something wrong Wendy?"   
  
"Ano...I want to say something else she did but...I don’t know how you guys will react to it," she said nervously.   
  
Meredy walked over to her and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Hey, it's alright. All of that is in the past. She's right here," she said, gesturing to Lucy's unconscious form, "you made sure of that."   
  
Carla approached Wendy and placed a paw on her knee. "It'll be alright child," she said softly, "it's all memories now, not reality."   
  
Wendy nodded before inhaling shakily. "Okay," she said. "Another thing Lucy did was...well, she.... she d-died."   
  
"What!" Jellal and Meredy exclaimed in unison.   
  
"Well," Wendy continued as Carla looked at the ground sadly, "it was Lucy, but it was the future version of her."   
  
The two members of Crime Sorciere exchanged looks with each other. "Ultear and I arrived at the scene when Natsu was about to be beaten by Future Rogue but Future Lucy...she was already....already down," Meredy said, unable to say the word.   
  
Jellal shook his head slowly. "When I first met her, she was miserable, anxious, and terrified. She kept saying _ 'I have to go save them’ _ over and over again. She finally broke down and told me she had to save her friends. She then ran off in the direction of the castle," he said sadly. "I had no idea what had happened to her until Meredy and Ultear told me."   
  
Wendy sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. "To know what happened to Future Lucy, you have to know the whole story," she said.   
  
Jellal nodded. "Alright," he said, "but we should head back to our campsite. We can let Lucy rest better there."   
  
The rest of them nodded in agreement. Jellal moved forward and gently lifted the blonde into his arms, unconsciously cuddling her close to his chest.    
  
Despite the situation, Meredy, Wendy, and Carla couldn't help but smile at the gesture.    
  
The walk back was silent but the air was filled with trepidation. Wendy was wondering if she'll be able to tell the story without breaking down in tears.    
  
Meredy was wondering what Future Lucy did before they found her dead.    
  
Carla was hoping that there would be no more tears, but there was something in the back of her mind saying that her hope was in vain.    
  
And Jellal...   
  
Jellal was having anxiety, wondering what other horrible things that could have happened to Future Lucy. Also, even though Wendy said she'll be alright, he couldn't help but worry about the brave woman resting in his arms.    
  
He looked down at the dried blood on her and the red scars he could see through the ripped clothes, but his eyes would always be drawn back to her face.    
  
_ How is it that she has come to mean so a lot to me? How did she break through all the defenses that I had built up over the last several years? _   
  
Finally, after much walking, they reached their spot. Jellal set Lucy down by her stuff, unconsciously brushing away a piece of hair that had fallen in front of her face.   
  
Meredy and Wendy had to hold in their squeals of fangirl-ism and Carla hid a small smile behind her paw.   
  
Finally, he took a seat next to her. "Alright Wendy," he said as he sighed heavily, "tell us what happened."   
  
Wendy nodded and took a deep breath. "Okay," she said, "this is what happened. Remember how Natsu pushed Gajeel down that tunnel that day of the match?"   
  
"Hai," Jellal and Meredy replied.    
  
"Well, later that day when we were celebrating, Gajeel came back saying he wanted to show me, Natsu, Carla, Lily, and Happy something. Lucy and Gray tagged along with us, too. He took us to the place where he landed under Domus Flau and we saw that it was a dragon boneyard."   
  
"Nani?!" The two exclaimed while Carla nodded in agreement.    
  
Wendy nodded and continued her story. "I remembered then that a spell Grandeeney left for me detailed how to materialize a soul of a dead dragon. I used it to contact one of them who was named Zirconis. He told us about a dragon slayer who bathed in dragon blood so much that he became one himself. His name was Acnologia."   
  
"Nani?” Jellal asked again.    
  
"Wait a minute," Meredy interrupted. "Are you telling me that the dragon who is hailed as the most powerful one, the dragon that completely destroyed Tenrou Island...that dragon used to be human?!"   
  
Wendy nodded. "Hai, he used his magic so much and he killed so much that he became a dragon himself," she said.    
  
"Wow," Jellal said completely stunned, "that's...really terrifying."   
  
"Understatement of the century," Meredy muttered.    
  
Her eyes then widened in shock. "Wait, does that mean that you and the other dragon slayers will eventually turn into dragons too?" she asked.    
  
Wendy shrugged. "I honestly don't know," she replied. "But let's not worry about that right now."   
  
Jellal nodded. "You're right. Continue your story, Wendy."   
  
She nodded. "After I was done talking to him, Colonel Arcadios and Yukino revealed themselves to us and asked us to follow them. They led us to that Eclipse Gate and explained that they've been collecting magic power from the games to power it."   
  
"And how they wanted to use it go back in time and kill Zeref," Jellal finished.    
  
Wendy nodded. "Exactly. They also needed Celestial magic and with Lucy and Yukino being the only known Celestial Mages left they tried to convince her to participate in the plan. But she was hesitant," she explained.    
  
Carla nodded. "Hai, changing the past so radically could alter the future as we know it. Lucy understood this and was not all for their plan," she said.    
  
Wendy bowed her head as memories of the event began to assault her mind. "That's when the Minister of Defense, Darton, showed up with the Royal Army and told Arcadios that his plan was too risky," she said. "To stop them from going through with it, he told the army to arrest Arcadios, Yukino, and Lucy."   
  
Meredy's eyebrows rose up in shock. "They arrested Lucy too?" she asked in shock.    
  
Wendy nodded. "Hai. That's the reason why Natsu wasn't in the group battle for the Grand Magic Games. When we told Master Makarov about what happened he put together a team to rescue Lucy," she said.    
  
"I'm guessing that team involved you and Natsu?" Meredy guessed.    
  
"Yep," she confirmed. "Along with Mirajane, Lily, Happy, and Carla."   
  
"We managed to get inside the castle and free Lucy and Yukino," Wendy continued speaking, "but we ended up being dumped into the Abyss Palace, a dungeon deep under the castle where, supposedly, no criminal has ever escaped from."   
  
"Kuso," Meredy cursed as she dragged a hand down her face. Jellal wasn't looking so good either, his face drawn and skin pale.    
  
"Well, you're obviously still here so you escaped that place somehow," Meredy commented. "But the question is how did you?"   
  
Wendy took a breath and began talking again, while Carla moved to sit in her lap to comfort her. "We ran into the Hungry Wolf knights, a special group with skills designed to kill," she said. "We were separated and had to fight a member of them by ourselves. In the end, we did manage to defeat them and Natsu made the leader tell us where the exit was. When we got there, there was a huge door that seemed would be hard to open so Natsu started running towards it."   
  
"Did he crash and damage his brain more than it already is?" Meredy asked dryly.    
  
Jellal couldn't hold back a smirk. He had no problems with the strong, albeit dense, dragon slayer, especially since he played a crucial role in getting rid of his possession, but the way Lucy became despondent after mentioning him made him feel...wary of him.    
  
Wendy giggled and Carla smiled. "No," she said smiling, "the door opened before he got there."   
  
"Who opened it?" Jellal asked curiously.    
  
At that, Wendy's smile dropped from her face and Carla's face was slightly sad. "It was Future Lucy," Wendy answered.    
  
All the humor that was left in the air was wiped away and replaced with a sense of dread.    
  
"She collapsed after saying that the future was doomed," Carla said softly. "Natsu had to carry her as we searched the castle for a place to rest for a bit. When she came to, she told us about the ten thousand dragons that were supposedly going to invade Crocus."   
  
"Hai, that's what she told me," Jellal stated.    
  
"Future Lucy started leading us through the castle and to a way out, but we were cornered by the Rune Knights. Yukino had disappeared somewhere so Mira went off to find her," Wendy continued speaking. "Soon after though, the Hungry Wolf Knights appeared again, and we had to face off against them once more."   
  
"And then," Carla interjected, "out of nowhere, a great shadow started stretching over the floor. Except for us, everybody was dragged down and no sign of them was seen."   
  
"Then  _ he _ appeared," Wendy said, her voice haunted.    
  
Carla quickly transformed into her human form and hugged Wendy close, her own eyes reflecting sadness and grief.    
  
Meredy's fists were clenched so tightly that her knuckles were white against her skin.    
  
Jellal's heart stuttered to a stop in his chest before starting up again at triple speed. He was pretty sure Wendy could hear it with her dragon slayer senses.    
  
"Future Rogue," Wendy choked out. "We didn't know he was there from the future until he told us his name. He then started explaining about how the dragons destroyed Fiore in the future. He said that the eclipse gate worked as a cannon of magic power but someone stopped it from working the first time."   
  
"Who did he say was responsible?" Meredy asked quietly.    
  
Jellal, however, had a pretty good idea whose name Wendy was going to mention.    
  
"He said it was Lucy," the bluenette said brokenly. "And before any of us could react, he threw a sword made of shadows at her. I was so shocked that I couldn’t move and it all happened so fast!"   
  
Wendy's face had tears running down it as she collapsed into sobs, unable to go on.    
  
Carla rubbed her back soothingly and took over telling what happened. "Natsu tried to stop it," she said quietly, "but it was too fast and he missed it by inches. By the time we had all looked back, Future Lucy had leaped in front of our Lucy and took the hit."   
  
Meredy gasped and Jellal's eyes went wide. "Future Lucy....jumped in front of the sword?" Meredy asked quietly.    
  
Carla nodded sadly. "There was nothing we could do," she said sadly, holding Wendy tighter as her sobs got louder, her own eyes swimming in tears. "The wound was too severe for Wendy to heal by herself and there was no time to go get Sherria. She...she died shortly after that."   
  
Silence permeated the air around them, except for the sounds of Wendy sobbing. Not even the sounds of animals in the background were present as if they too were listening to the story and were having a moment of silence for the brave young girl who gave her life for her friends.    
  
It was at that moment that Lucy started to wake. Carla helped Wendy to quickly calm down and dry her tears as Meredy schooled her face into an indifferent expression.    
  
Jellal quickly leaned over to stare at her face. "Lucy?"   
  
Her eyelids fluttered before they opened, showing him her chocolate-brown eyes staring blearily at him. "Jellal?" her voice rasped.    
  
He placed a hand on her cheek. "Hey, I'm right here," he said. "Everything's fine, you should get some rest."   
  
"But-" she started to protest weakly.    
  
"No buts," he replied instantly, pulling her over to him so that her head lay in his lap. "You need to regain your energy and replenish your magic. Now rest."   
  
Lucy sighed in defeat before smiling softly. "Alright," she said softly. Her eyes drifted shut and she was asleep in the next moment.    
  
Jellal sighed in relief and relaxed slightly as she fell asleep. But when he looked up, he saw the smiling face of Carla, the grinning tear-stained face of Wendy, and the smirking face of Meredy.    
  
"What?" he questioned.    
  
"Nothing," they said in unison.    
  
He rolled his eyes. Meredy was always up to something and now it seems she's managed to corrupt Wendy and Carla.    
  
The lingering adrenaline that was in his system finally left him, leaving him drained and tired. With the warmth of Lucy on his lap and the surprisingly comfortable feel of the tree at his back, he quickly drifted off to sleep.    
  
~wWw~   
  
Meredy, Wendy, and Carla watch Jellal fall asleep, amusement still present on their faces.    
  
Meredy suddenly yawned, all her worry for Lucy drained away and leaving exhaustion in its place. "Look, we're all tired. Let's get some sleep and we'll talk in the morning," she said.    
  
Wendy nodded in agreement, her own yawn escaping from her lips. She scooted closer to Meredy and fell asleep almost instantly, Meredy following her into the dreamworld.    
  
Carla was getting ready to fall asleep too but something was niggling at the back of her mind.    
  
_ I agree with Meredy and Wendy about Lucy and Jellal. She's good for him and he's good for her. But they still haven't considered a crucial factor.  _ __   
_   
_ __ What about Erza?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who didn't know:
> 
> *Ano = Used as a space filler, pause, or hesitation in speech


	12. Chapter Twelve

Lucy felt comforting warmth surrounding her before she opened her eyes.   
  
The first thing that registered in her mind was the darkness. It was either late at night or really early in the morning.   
  
However, after seeing faint traces of light in the sky, she concluded that it was early morning.   
  
The next thing that she realized was the source of warmth. She was lying down in someone's lap with their arms wrapped around her, holding her securely.   
  
Her eyes traveled upward until she spotted the familiar red tattoo on his eye and the even more familiar color of his blue hair.   
  
_How did I get in Jellal's lap? The last thing I remember was passing out after getting rid of that...that thing._  
  
She sighed slightly as her eyes took in his form. He was deeply asleep, his hair slightly covering his eyes, his chest rising and falling in the rhythm of his breathing.   
  
His tattoo that sat above and below his right eye seemed to stand out even more now than when he's awake for some reason.   
  
Lucy unconsciously lifted her hand to trace it, her touch featherlight. Jellal didn't stir as she did this, still immersed in his deep sleep.   
  
Lucy smiled when he unconsciously leaned into her touch, his mouth lifting slightly at the corners.   
  
Then she caught herself.   
  
_What am I doing? _  
  
She tried sitting up. Ignoring the slight pain from her chest wounds that she realized were bandaged, she quietly got up from Jellal's lap and glanced around the camp.   
  
Meredy was laying on her back with her face tilted up towards the sky, her eyes fluttering as her dreams took a different turn, but remained asleep.   
  
Wendy was leaning up against a tree, her arms wrapped around Carla, who was laying against her stomach. However, Lucy was surprised at the slight red surrounding their eyes and tear tracks going down Wendy's cheeks.   
  
"What in Kami-sama's name happened while I was unconscious?" Lucy asked herself quietly.   
  
She shook herself out of her thoughts. Wide awake and unwilling to fall back asleep, she made her way out of camp and back towards the cliff edge to watch the sunrise again.   
  
So caught up in her task of getting there, she didn't know the eyes following her as she walked away.   
  
~wWw~  
  
Juvia Lockser was a complicated teen girl who was actually very kind once you got to know her.   
  
She's very sweet, loyal to a fault, and has a loving capacity that seems to be as big as the ocean.   
  
Her water magic is really powerful and will continue to get stronger with her will to protect those who she holds dear.   
  
And speaking of people she holds dear...  
  
Well, first there's Gray. Juvia feels that she'll never be able to repay him for allowing her to see the sun for the first time in her life. She was able to see the big ball of light and fire that all the kids love to play under and that the adults like to have picnics under.   
  
She was able to feel its warmth on her skin and drink in the energy it seemed to bestow upon her by simply_ being_ there.   
  
She saw the sky for the first time as well too. And now, every time she looked up, it was always blue. Not particularly the same shade of course but, it was still blue. She was able to see it firsthand instead of the pictures in books and listening to the other kids from the orphanage described it.   
  
Gray was able to unlock all of that for her. And so he counts as one of her closest friends.   
  
There's Gajeel too. While in the Phantom Lord Guild, even though she was surrounded by other people who welcomed her powers, revered them even, she was still alone.   
  
Gajeel was her only friend there.   
  
He would listen to what she has to say, offer her advice, and just.._.be_ there. Having him there made her life bearable and she was able to get by okay.   
  
And then, there's Lucy. Juvia admits that she hasn't been the nicest person to her when they first met.   
  
Kidnapping made a bad first impression.   
  
And then she kept bad-mouthing her to Gray, trying to show him how bad her supposed 'love rival' was compared her before she realized that their relationship was nothing more than that of siblings.   
  
And after everything she said, Lucy still saved her during their fight against that creepy man in the Tower of Heaven.   
  
And she's been kind to her ever since, despite Juvia's continued bad remarks.   
  
And now Lucy's gone, along with Wendy and Carla, on a training trip and she didn’t know how or when she'll come back. And Juvia found that she actually missed her and wished for the conversations they had together.  
  
It was just before sunrise when Juvia woke up. She always woke up at this time. She still can't get over the beauty of watching the sunrise in the early morning.   
  
She hurriedly got dressed and left her room, quietly shutting her door so as to not wake the other girls in Fairy Hills. But she paused on her way to the roof.   
  
_For some reason, Juvia doesn't feel like going to the roof. Maybe Juvia should go to that big hill that overlooks Magnolia. Juvia should have a better view there. Plus...Juvia needs to think. _  
  
She made her way out of the building and started walking down the pathway into town. Since it was so early in the morning, there was hardly anybody around. As she walked down the street, Juvia thought back to the incident that broke her heart.   
  
_Gray-sama said that he doesn't love Juvia the way Juvia loves him. He didn't even say it nicely, though Juvia suspects she deserves it. And even though on the outside Juvia acted like she didn't care, on the inside Juvia was crying and struggling not to let the clouds block the sun again. Juvia doesn't know what to do now. The phrase 'If you love something, let it go free' comes to mind but...it still hurts Juvia to let Gray-sama go._   
  
Finally, Juvia reached the hill that overlooked the whole of Magnolia and sat at its edge. At this angle, Juvia could see the whole town and the stretch of sky that housed the sun.   
  
For now, Juvia pushed the thoughts of Gray and heartbreak out of her mind in anticipation of the rising sun.   
  
She was startled out of her reverie by a voice. "Juvia?"  
  
She quickly turned around and found Lyon standing behind her. "Lyon?" she said in confusion. "What is Lyon doing here?"  
  
Lyon couldn’t fight his blush. With Magnolia and the slowly brightening sky behind her, Juvia looked like a goddess, her blue hair lightly swaying in the wind.   
  
Juvia's eyebrows raised. "Lyon?" she asked again.   
  
Realizing he was staring, Lyon coughed to hide his embarrassment and answered her question. "Well, I came here for business reasons but then I saw you walking here. It's really early out so I...I followed you to see if you're okay."  
  
"Oh...well, Juvia is okay, she just came up here to see the sunrise," Juvia answered him.   
  
"Oh," Lyon said, surprised again. "Mind if I sit with you?"  
  
Juvia looked back at him and considered his request.   
  
_Juvia guesses that nothing bad can come out of it. And...he likes Juvia. Maybe Juvia can see if she can at least be friends with him. _  
  
"Sure, Juvia doesn't mind," she said with a small smile.   
  
Lyon returned her smile with one of his own and sat next to her, but not too close as to invade her personal space.  
  
For a while, neither said anything, just content on basking in the silence surrounding them in the air. Well, except for the sounds of the birds chirping to one another.   
  
Just before the sun was to appear on the horizon, Lyon spoke up. "I never got the chance to ask you how you’re doing,” he said. “After everything that happened in Crocus I mean."  
  
Of course, Juvia knew what he was talking about. When they all got a vision of Gray dying.   
  
"Juvia is getting over it," she said slowly. "However, Juvia is confused."  
  
Lyon looked over at her. "About what?" he inquired.   
  
"....Juvia knows that Gray-sama doesn't love Juvia. But the vision showed Gray-sama dying in Juvia's place. Why would he do that if he doesn't love Juvia?" she asked him in an almost desperate manner.   
  
Lyon was quiet during her rant and remained quiet as he considered what to say to her.   
  
_So, that idiotic Gray doesn't see what is right in front of him. He's either too stubborn or too much of a coward to do anything about Juvia's affection for him so he pushes her away. Again I say, he's an idiot. _  
  
"Well," Lyon starts off, "maybe he does love you."  
  
Juvia shook her head. "Īe, Gray-sama told Juvia that he doesn't feel the same as Juvia does," Juvia insistent.   
  
"I didn't mean it like that," Lyon said quickly. "Just because he's not in love with you doesn't mean he doesn't just love you."  
  
Juvia furrowed her brow. "Juvia...doesn't follow," she admits in confusion, finally turning to look at him.   
  
Lyon fought the urge to smile. "There are three kinds of love," he explains. "There's the love you have for a family member, like a brother or sister. Then there's the love you have for a friend, like how you love Cana or even Gajeel. And then, there's the love for someone you have a deep personal connection to. Someone you understand on a deep level. And sadly, it is sometimes unrequited."  
  
Juvia stayed silent and didn't interrupt him once while he was explaining.   
  
"Why did you think you were in love with Gray?" Lyon asked softly.   
  
"He took Juvia's rain away," she replied instantly.   
  
Lyon looked at her in confusion. "What do you mean ‘he took your rain away’?" he asked.   
  
Juvia stayed quiet.   
  
"Gomen'nasai," Lyon said quickly, turning away. "I didn't mean to pry, I just–"  
  
"No," Juvia interrupted softly, "it is fine, Juvia was just thinking of how to phrase it."  
  
Lyon waited diligently as she thought things over in her head.   
  
"Juvia used to not have good control over her magic," she started saying, "Wherever Juvia went, it always rained. The other kids at the orphanage stayed away from Juvia because they thought Juvia was creepy and a bad omen. Everyone blamed her whenever there was an outing and they couldn't enjoy it because of Juvia's rain.   
  
"When Juvia got older, it got worse because people became really creative when it came to calling her names. Juvia even had a boyfriend once, but he dumped her because of the rain and never getting the chance to do anything outside with her.  
  
"Then came the day Juvia joined Phantom Lord. The people there weren't afraid of Juvia's magic, they were actually excited to have such a strong strand of magic in their ranks. But even though Juvia was surrounded by loads of people, her rain still wouldn't stop.  
  
"Then came the day when Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail went to war. Juvia was a member of the element four so she was a key player. That's when Juvia and Gray-sama met for the first time. Even though Juvia was Gray-sama's enemy, he saved Juvia from her death and was actually very kind towards her. The first few people who were ever nice to Juvia.   
  
"And that's when Juvia's rain went away, and she saw the sky for the first time. Gray-sama did so much for Juvia."  
  
When Juvia finally finished talking her throat was sore because she hasn’t talked that much in one go before.  
  
Lyon listened to her story with a mix of sadness and anger. Sad that she had to go through all of that and anger at those who didn't even try to understand the person she is.   
  
"What everyone says about members of Fairy Tail, is that they're like the family someone never had," Lyon said slowly, his mind whirling. "It's in their nature to help those who're in need. I'm pretty sure if it were any other member fighting beside you at Crocus, the result would've been the same. They protect their own."  
  
Juvia was quiet for so long after Lyon's speech that he was sure he earned her scorn.   
  
But then-  
  
"Juvia sees the logic behind your statement," she said finally. "But this feeling in her chest....will it always hurt?"  
  
"Not always," Lyon replied easily. "The pain will come in waves but eventually, it'll go away."  
  
Juvia beamed with genuine emotion. "Thank you, Lyon," she said earnestly.   
  
Lyon smiled. "No problem Juvia."  
  
It was at that moment that the sun rose above the horizon, bathing both the city of Magnolia and the two sitting on the hill in a golden glow.   
  
Juvia gasped softly. "Oh, isn't it beautiful?" she asked dreamily.   
  
Lyon looked over and saw her awestruck expression alight with the golden glow of the early morning sun.   
  
"Hai," he agreed. "It's exquisite."  
  
_You truly are._   
  
~wWw~  
  
Watching the sun ascend slowly but surely into the sky relaxed Lucy enough to get her moving. Viewing the sun gently settle into the sky brought back the happier moments she spent with her mom and dad before her mother's death and her dad's distancing from her.   
  
She quickly shook her head to clear her thoughts.   
  
_Īe! I will not dwell on those kinds of thoughts, they wouldn't want that from me. I need something to do to keep myself busy. __  
__  
_Knowing that she couldn't do anything strenuous yet because of her injury, she chose to do some stretches.   
  
Getting in the rhythm of things, she started humming a song to herself as she stretched.   
  
Doing the more active stretches, she started singing the song out loud to exercise to the beat to the song.   
  
"Masayume chasing, chasing  
koero motto  
jibun shijou saikou no  
  
"Ima wo chasing chasing  
sou egaita  
jibun ni natte   
moyase mune no hi wo."  
  
On her feet now, Lucy started dancing as she sang, her eyes shut as she swayed and spun to the lyrics.   
  
"Na na na na na na na oh  
na na na na na hey! Hey!  
na na na na na na oh   
  
"Kakenukero hero!  
  
"Na na na na na na na oh  
na na na na na hey! Hey!  
na na na na na na oh  
  
"Moyase mune no hi wo!"  
  
Ending the song, and subsequently her dancing, she took some deep breaths.   
  
_Huh, I guess even dancing will make my chest hurt. Or maybe it's my breathing. I'll ask Wendy when she wakes up. _  
  
She was startled out of her thoughts by a chuckle. Deja vú anyone?  
  
"Why is it that I always seem to find you singing?" it said in amusement. Lucy didn't even need to turn around to know it was Jellal.   
  
Lucy grinned as she turned around to face him. "Because it's fun," she said impishly.   
  
Jellal rolled his eyes in playful exasperation and walked towards her. He wasn't wearing his cloak and was showing off his arms.   
  
His nice _muscular _arms.   
  
_Kusō, would you look at those things? Just imagine having those arms wrapped around yourself and – no! Bad Lucy! Bad!__  
__  
_His eyes strayed to the wound on her chest. "How are you feeling?" he asked seriously.   
  
Lucy smiled slightly. "I'm fine," she answered. "Although, I figure I shouldn't be doing anything strenuous for a least a day or two."  
  
Jellal nodded. "That's true," he agreed.   
  
He then frowned. "Hey, I've been thinking, how did you drive off the tiger?"  
  
Lucy shrugged. "I don't know," she answered truthfully.   
  
"Wait a minute," Jellal said after a moment's thought, "Is it possible that you changed into one of your star dresses unconsciously?"  
  
"I guess that's a possibility," Lucy said slowly.   
  
"Basing on the fact that you sent that thing over the cliff with one punch, I'm guessing it's a star dress that specializes in strength," Jellal theorizes.   
  
"Well then, it's possible that it was Taurus's star dress," Lucy said in contemplation. "His special skill is strength. I could try equipping it to see if it's the same."  
  
"Maybe, but not right now," Jellal shot that idea down. "You need to rest up some more."  
  
Lucy chuckled. "Okay Dr. Fernandes," she said jokingly.   
  
Jellal smiled and laughed along with her.   
  
Lucy turned her head to gaze back at the sun.   
  
_Such a powerful ball of fire that also gives off warmth. Kind of like...kind of like Natsu._   
  
Noticing her slightly downcast expression, Jellal asked, "What are you thinking about?"  
  
Lucy was quiet for a second. Then she said quietly, "Just about someone I thought I was in love with."  
  
Jellal turned to her in shock. "You thought you were in love with someone?" he asked her.   
  
She only nodded. "Hai."  
  
"Who?" he asked.   
  
She hesitated slightly before replying, "Natsu."  
  
"Natsu?" Jellal said in confusion.   
  
"Uh-huh.”   
  
She sighed. "He's the one who brought me to Fairy Tail and gave me a new family. He's done so much for me...and I guess I kind of fell for him," she said resignedly. "But, I realized that even if he felt the same way, that feeling was starting to go away. And sometimes, he's too overprotective to a point where it seems like he doesn't trust me to take care of things myself."  
  
Jellal stayed silent after she finished talking.   
  
After a moment, he spoke up. "Was he the real reason you came on this training trip?" he asked quietly.   
  
"He was part of it," Lucy admitted.   
  
Silence settled over them once again. For a while, they both just stared at the rising sun, thinking over things.   
  
"You know," Jellal said softly. "I thought I was in love with someone too."  
  
Lucy whirled on him. "Seriously?" she asked.   
  
_Really? Truly, he can't mean..._  
  
"Who was it," Lucy asked him sincerely.   
  
"It was Erza," he answered.   
  
_It was _Erza_?!_  
  
"Really?" Lucy asked in genuine surprise.  
  
"Hai," Jellal sighed. "We were brought together during traumatic circumstances and had to band together to survive. That kind of thing bonds people on a deep level. After regaining my memories of everything we went through, I actually thought I was in love with her.   
  
"We were talking and we got into a sort-of intimate position. We were about to kiss and...." he trailed off.   
  
"And?" Lucy said softly.   
  
"It just felt...wrong, somehow," he said slowly. "I pushed her away and fed her some lie about having a fiancé but I don't think she bought it. At the time, I told Ultear and Meredy that I lied because of my past and my sins but...the truth is, I just couldn't go through with it because it felt wrong to me."  
  
Lucy gaped at him.   
  
_Wow, I never expected _that_ to come out of his mouth. Still though, maybe he does love her, just not in a romantic way. _  
  
Without her permission, a small tendril of hope slithered into her chest.   
  
"Sing something," Jellal said suddenly.   
  
Lucy looked over at him in shock. "Nani?" she asked.   
  
"Your voice is very beautiful when you sing, it actually soothes me," he admitted with a tinge of red covering his cheeks as he continued to stare out towards the rising sun.   
  
"Please?" he added softly.   
  
Lucy turned to look back over the cliff edge.   
  
_Well, when he asks like that, who am I to deny him? But the question is, what song should I sing? Hmm....oh! I know!_  
  
Taking a deep breath, Lucy started the song:  
  
"I see your monsters, I see your pain  
Tell me your problems, I'll chase them away  
I'll be your lighthouse, I'll make it okay  
When I see your monsters, I'll stand there   
so brave  
And chase them all away."  
  
Lucy saw Jellal turn towards her out of the corner of her eye but didn't look towards him and kept singing.   
  
"In the dark we, we, we stand apart  
We, we never see that the things we need   
Are staring right at us  
  
"You just wanna hide, hide, hide  
Never show your smile, smile   
Stand alone when you need someone   
It's the hardest thing of all  
  
"That you seed are the bad, bad, bad  
memories  
Take your time and you'll find me  
  
"I see your monsters, I see your pain  
Tell me your problems, I'll chase them away  
I'll be your lighthouse, I'll make it okay  
When I see your monsters, I'll stand there   
so brave  
And chase all away."  
  
Jellal's hand circled around Lucy's wrist and pulled her to him. He wrapped her in a hug and buried his face in her neck. "Keep singing," he whispered to her, his breath on her neck making her shiver slightly.   
  
He started moving them in a slow dance.   
  
Lucy kept singing.   
  
"I could see the sky, sky, sky beautiful  
tonight, night  
When you breathe, why can't you see  
That the clouds are in your head?  
  
"I will stay there, there, there  
No need to fear, fear  
And when you need, to talk it out   
With someone, you can trust  
  
"What you seed are the bad, bad, bad  
memories  
Take your time and you'll find me."  
  
Jellal spun her around slowly before bringing her to him again.   
  
"I see your monsters, I see your pain  
Tell me your problems, I'll chase them away  
I'll be your lighthouse, I'll make it okay  
When I see your monsters, I'll stand there  
so brave  
And chase them all away."  
  
Lucy wrapped her arms around Jellal's neck.   
  
"I'll chase them all away.  
  
"You've got the chance to see the light  
Even in the darkest night  
And I will be here like you were for me  
So just let me in."  
  
Jellal moved his face from Lucy's neck and stared down into her eyes, still swaying them softly to the tone of the song.   
  
Lucy stared back and continued the last verse of the song softly.   
  
"Cause I see your monsters, I see your pain  
Tell me your problems, I'll chase them away  
I'll be your lighthouse, I'll make it okay  
When I see your monsters, I'll stand there   
so brave   
And chase them all away."  
  
They both stared into each other's eyes, neither willing or wanting to pull away.   
  
Then, ever so slowly, Jellal removed his hands from where they rested on Lucy's waist and trailed them up to her arms and neck until they settled on her face.   
  
Lucy moved her hands from around his neck and into his hair.   
  
They both moved towards each other slowly but deliberately.   
  
Time seemed to stop.   
  
It could've been seconds or hours, or even a day.   
  
The gap between their lips kept getting smaller and smaller.   
  
Until finally.   
  
Their lips met.   
  
~wWw~  
  
Unknown to everyone except the Kami-sama, the red string of fate wrapped around their pinkies pulsed once before becoming thicker, their ends meeting and entwining together.   
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who didn't know:
> 
> *Ie = No  
*Gomenasai = I am sorry
> 
> Hey guys!
> 
> I hope I made Juvia's dialogue believable. I know she speaks in the third person so I tried writing that as best as I could. 
> 
> The English song I had Lucy sing is called 'Monsters' by Katie Sky and I thought it suited the situation perfectly.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

When Carla woke up, the sun was just over the horizon, its light falling through the leaves of the trees high above her.   
  
In her exceed form, she was still laying up against Wendy, who's heartbeat she could hear since her ear was pressed against her chest.   
  
She sat up slowly as to not wake her and looked around.   
  
Meredy was still sleeping peacefully in her spot a couple of feet away, her a facing containing a serene look that became common while she slept nowadays.   
  
But she also noticed that Lucy and Jellal were nowhere to be seen.   
  
_Where could they have possibly gone? Did they go somewhere together, or did one of them get up first and was then followed by the other? I should see where they've gone off to, just to see if everything is okay. I know full well that they can take care of themselves, but Lucy was injured yesterday. I'm just going to make sure._   
  
Getting up, she quickly transformed into her human form. This technique was almost perfected to the point where all Carla had to do was think of her human form and her magic took care of the rest. Now, she's trying to incorporate her aerial magic while she's transformed as well.   
  
_Now, where would they go? I know they couldn't possibly have gone back to town because of Jellal still being a sort-of criminal. Maybe the cliff edge where we found them before?_  
  
Glancing at the girls to make sure they're still sleeping, Carla made her way towards the cliff where Lucy was injured.   
  
She shivered at the memory. She had already seen her lose blood, so much that she died. Even if it was the future of her, like Happy said, Lucy was Lucy. Carla had gotten nightmares and woken up in a cold sweat for a few nights after the incident. She had hoped to never see Lucy in a situation like that again.   
  
Carla knew that Wendy had downplayed Lucy's true injuries. She doesn't know if Meredy had caught on but she knew for sure that Jellal didn't. He was too worried about her.   
  
The amount of blood Lucy lost should have put her in a coma. Wendy must've known that, so she just fixed her up and told them that she'll be okay.  
  
Carla was brought out of her musings by the sound of a girl singing. It was faint but distinctive.   
  
"I see your monsters, I see your pain  
Tell me your problems, I'll chase them away  
I'll be your lighthouse, I'll make it okay  
When I see your monsters, I'll stand there   
so brave  
And chase them all away."  
  
_That sounded like Lucy's voice! That must mean she and Jellal are indeed in this direction._  
  
Quickening her pace, she made her way towards where she thought she heard Lucy's voice. Which was indeed where the cliff was.   
  
Finally arriving, she stepped past the trees and into the clearing silently.   
  
And then she froze.   
  
She found Lucy.   
  
She found Jellal.   
  
And they were close to one another.   
  
But not just close.   
  
They were kissing.   
  
Not how Bisca and Alzack did when Carla stumbled upon them once accidentally...  
  
But they were definitely locking lips in an act so soft that Carla felt her ears burn as she witnessed this tender act of affection.   
  
They didn't notice her yet so Carla took this time to back away slowly into the trees.   
  
Activating her aerial magic while still transformed as a human, she made like a bat out of hell back towards the campsite. All the while uncharacteristically grinning like her cousin, the Cheshire Cat.   
  
She couldn't _wait_ to tell Wendy and Meredy.   
  
~wWw~  
  
Meredy woke up peaceful. It was hardly surprising these days.   
  
She and Jellal were no longer on the move and were stationary with people they can trust.   
  
Carla, despite being an exceed, was really mature and could offer good advice on things. Also, even though she hardly shows it, she could have a funny side to her too.   
  
Wendy was a sweet child who still retained some of her childlike naivety, despite everything she had gone through. And it helped that she had really powerful magic. The enemy might see a sweet innocent child, but she and her friends saw a warrior who would fight tooth and nail to protect those she cares about.   
  
And then there's Lucy. A girl who didn't judge a person by first appearances...well, unless they were being perverted and creeping her out. And really, who wouldn't be creeped out by that?  
  
(Somewhere in the Blue Pegasus guildhall, a short man wearing a suit sneezed, and a scarlet-haired girl in the Fairy Tail guild hall shivered.)  
  
She accepts a person for who they are and tries to help them if they do need help.   
  
She had done that and so much more for Jellal. Meredy could tell that Jellal had fallen for her, hard. The way she sometimes caught him staring at her, or the way his eyes lit up slightly whenever she laughed or smiled. And it seemed as if the feelings were reciprocated.   
  
And if Meredy were being honest, she thinks that they make a better couple than Erza and Jellal could. While there is, or was on Jellal's side, an attraction between the two, they just had too many things happen to them that can and will get in the way of a relationship.   
  
Lucy might have a little baggage, but that's what makes her so willing to help others so that they never have to feel the pain she went through.   
  
Meredy doesn't know the exact details though; all she knew is that she ran away from home to join Fairy Tail. But she won't pry, it's none of her business. If Lucy wants to tell them she will.   
  
Meredy finally sat up and took a glance around the camp. She noticed that Carla, Lucy, and Jellal were all gone.   
  
_I'd understand if it were just Lucy and Jellal, it happened before. But, why is Carla gone too?_  
  
It was at that moment that Wendy chose to wake up.   
  
She groaned as she stretched. "Ohayōgozaimasu Minna," she said through a yawn.   
  
Blinking the blurriness out of her eyes she looked around and noticed that everybody besides Meredy was gone. "Where is everyone?" she asked in confusion.   
  
Meredy shrugged. "I have no idea," she answered truthfully. "I woke up and they were all gone."  
  
Wendy frowned slightly as she thought of where they could've gone.   
  
She didn't need to, however, since one of them was about to arrive.   
  
"Wendy! Meredy!"  
  
Both girls whirled their heads around towards the direction the voice came from. Imagine their surprise when they saw Carla in her human form flying at them using her aerial magic.   
  
"Carla?!" they both said in unison.   
  
Right as she reached them, her wings disappeared and she crashed to the ground. Her transformation also disappeared and she went back to her original body.   
  
"Carla!" Wendy exclaimed worriedly as she and Meredy hurried over to her. "Are you alright?"  
  
Carla was still lying on the ground, panting heavily as she tried to regain her breath. However, what surprised the girls was the mischievous grin that was on her face.   
  
"Carla," Meredy said carefully, "why do you look like the cat the ate the canary? Pardon the pun though."  
  
Carla held up a paw in a 'hold on' gesture as she tried getting her breath back.   
  
After a moment, she got to her feet and smiled at the two of them. "You two are never going to believe what I had just seen," she said breathlessly.   
  
"What?" they both asked.   
  
"I saw Lucy and Jellal..." Carla said, drawing it out, "kissing!"   
  
"What?!" they shouted together.   
  
"YES!" Meredy squealed. "JELU is HAPPENING PEOPLE!"  
  
Wendy was also excited but was better at keeping her emotions under control.   
  
"SUGOI! My nee-chan is with Jellal now! Arigatō Kami-sama!" she shouted and started doing a jig.   
  
Okay, so maybe she didn't hide her emotions so well either.   
  
Meanwhile, Meredy started dancing in a circle and singing a song.   
  
"Who d'you think you're kidding?  
He's the earth and heaven to you  
Try to keep it hidden   
Honey, we could see right through you  
Girl, you can't conceal it  
We know how you're feeling,   
Who you're thinking of!"  
  
Carla watched all of this in amusement.   
  
_It's times like these that I wish I had a camera. _  
  
~wWw~  
  
_Her lips are so soft. And her taste... Kami-sama, it's like tasting the forbidden fruit. _  
  
When breathing became necessary, he reluctantly drew away and touched their foreheads together, his hands still cradling her face.   
  
_His hands are so gentle but unyielding at the same time. I feel so empowered...but protected all at once. _  
  
When he drew away and placed their foreheads together, Lucy opened the eyes she doesn't remember closing and stared into his.   
  
His eyes were filled with many emotions she couldn't name and a few that she was afraid to put a name to.   
  
Recalling what he said he felt when he and Erza were about to kiss she spoke up. "You didn't feel anything...bad, when you kissed me, right?" she asked breathlessly.   
  
If possible, his eyes soften even further. Drawing away slightly, he pressed a kiss to her forehead and Lucy closed her eyes again at the feel of his lips on her skin.   
  
He spoke against her skin when he drew away slightly. "I felt many things when I kissed you," he whispered. "And none of them were bad."  
  
Lucy felt her lips lift up in a smile before she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck in a hug.   
  
He wrapped an arm around her waist and cupped the back of her head, trying not to shiver at the feeling of her breathing against his skin.   
  
For a moment, everything was quiet while the two of them just basked in the emotions they were feeling.   
  
Then-  
  
"YES! JELU is HAPPENING PEOPLE!"  
  
The two mages broke apart at the sound of Meredy's voice ringing through the silence. A quick glance around showed them that they were still alone.   
  
Then Wendy's voice rang out too. Not as loud as Meredy's, but loud enough for them to hear it.   
  
"SUGOI! My nee-chan is with Jellal now! Arigatō Kami-sama!"  
  
Lucy's face was turning red with embarrassment. "Huh," she said in hopes of Jellal not noticing her reddening, "it seems that they saw us."  
  
"It seems so," Jellal said, with pink tingeing his own face.   
  
He grabbed Lucy's hand and entwined their fingers together. "Ready to go face the music?" he asked with a grin on his face. _  
__  
__I've never seen him this carefree before. _  
  
Lucy smiled back at him before giving their entwined fingers a squeeze. "Let's," she agreed.   
  
~wWw~  
  
Lisanna yawned as she entered the guildhall. It wasn't that early but she had a late night and was still exhausted.   
  
Many of her guildmates still haven't forgiven her for the harsh words she said about Lucy, so they hardly say a word to her.   
  
Surprisingly, the Thunder Legion and Gajeel were the main people outside of Team Natsu and Levy who were the most adamant about not talking to her.   
  
Apparently, Lucy earned the Thunder Legion's respect when she inspired the rest of their friends to put a stop to their stupid plan to take over the guild.   
  
And Gajeel still feels residual guilt over how horrible he treated Lucy when Phantom Lord kidnapped her, so he sometimes acts like the long lost big brother she never had (other than Gray).   
  
Team Natsu would hardly even look at her anymore, which hurts her more than she lets on.   
  
In a moment of weakness and self-pity, she had thought: _They were _my_ friends first. _Not_ her's!_  
  
She regretted thinking those words as soon as she thought it.   
  
However, the person that makes her the most nervous is Levy.   
  
Sometimes she would catch her staring at her from across the guild, a blank look frozen on her face.   
  
Geez, she was like a tiger staring non-blinking at its prey.   
  
Note to self: Don't underestimate Levy...or short girls in particular.  
  
Tired of everyone judging her in silence she decided to take a mission.   
  
Walking up to the request board, she chose a mission that seemed to suit her skills and walked over to Mira to get it approved.   
  
"Mira-nee, can you approve this mission for me?"  
  
Mira looked at Lisanna with a slight understanding before glancing at the mission request. " ‘A large tiger is threatening campers in the forests surrounding the Crocus capital. Please send help'," she read aloud. "Sounds interesting, I'll mark this mission as taken."  
  
"Thanks, nee-san," Lisanna said gratefully. Glancing around the guildhall one last time, catching no one's eye as she did, she hurried out the doors and towards the train station.   
  
_I guess I'm heading to Crocus. _  
  
~wWw~  
  
It was mid-afternoon when Lisanna stepped off the train. The smell of flowers and the sound of the pounding of people's feet against the concrete brought back memories of the last time she was here.   
  
Unfortunately, the memories that are flying through her head aren't of winning the Grand Magic Games or the spectacular party the king threw for them afterward.   
  
It was of the seven huge dragons crashing through the city and of one of them dropping hundreds of eggs from the sky, with mini dragons emerging from them and attacking everyone in their path.   
  
Lisanna remembers seeing a vision of her own death before she ducked out of the way of an attack.   
  
Shaking off the sudden dark thoughts, she made her way to the client's address.   
  
She arrived at a moderately decent house and knocked on the door. A woman who looked to be in her mid-thirties with her black hair tied up into a bun and wearing black glasses answered the door. "Hello, are you the mage answering my request?" she asked briskly.   
  
Lisanna nodded. "Yes ma'am, I am a mage from Fairy Tail," she said proudly.   
  
"Well please get rid of that thing," the woman said distastefully. "It was originally a test subject at our laboratory and it escaped."  
_  
__Laboratory?_  
  
"Laboratory?" Lisanna asked.   
  
"Yes," the woman said without elaborating.   
  
_Okay..._  
  
"Alright then," Lisanna said, "I'll get rid of it ma'am."  
  
"Good," the woman said. She then shut the door in her face.   
  
Lisanna sweatdropped.   
  
"Okay then," she said to herself. She then made her way in the direction of the forest surrounding Crocus.   
  
_Here's goes nothing._  
  
~wWw~  
  
"It's okay Jellal, I'll be fine," Lucy said.   
  
It's been hours since Lucy and Jellal had returned to the girls. They had sat them down to find out the details of their kiss and how it happened.   
  
After getting them to tell, they had congratulated them on their newfound relationship.   
  
Since then, they all had skipped training for most of the day since Lucy was still injured and couldn't join in. However, Lucy could tell that they were restless with nothing to do so she told them to just go train.   
  
Jellal was worried about leaving her alone though.  
  
"Are you sure?" he asked worriedly.   
  
"Yes, I'll just meditate on my magic okay?" Lucy responded. "I'll be okay."  
  
Jellal stared at her for a second longer before he bent down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Yell if you need anything," he said.   
  
He then smirked. "That is if you don't already handle it yourself."  
  
Lucy giggled and pressed a short but sweet kiss to his mouth. "If you say so," she said after she pulled away.   
  
"Hey, Romeo! C'mon or Wendy and I will leave you behind!" Meredy yelled out.   
  
Lucy laughed as Jellal rolled his eyes in amusement.   
  
"We won't be too far," Jellal said as he stood up. With a last glance in her direction, Jellal led Wendy, Carla, and Meredy away until Lucy couldn't hear their footsteps anymore.   
  
Lucy sighed as she got into a meditation stance Capricorn taught her. Reaching deep within herself, she sought out her magical core and worked on strengthening and enlarging it.   
  
She allowed magic to flow through her body and held it there for as long as she could. Sweat formed on her brow as she concentrated but she couldn't feel anything other than her magic flowing through her body.   
  
The longer the magic flowed through her, she felt it strengthening bit by bit.   
  
She didn't know how much time passed when she opened up her eyes later. She saw that the sun was lower in the sky though.  
  
Standing up she felt slightly stiff and glanced around.  
  
_It seems as if the girls and Jellal aren't back yet. Should I stay here or go look for them?_  
  
In the end, Lucy decided to see if she could go find them. Picking a random direction, she started walking and trying to sense any magic energies.   
  
Suddenly, she felt a brief spike of magic in the opposite direction. Curiosity coursed through her and she decided to investigate. After a few minutes of walking, she heard the murmur of voices. As she got closer, the voices became clearer. Finally, she approached a wide tree and the voices were seemingly coming from behind it.   
  
"I can't believe it was that easy," a rough voice crooned.   
  
"Yeah," a nasal voice answered back, "you'd think that she would put up a better fight."  
  
"Quiet, both of you," a third voice snapped.   
  
Lucy's eyes widened.   
  
_Oh my god, are these guys dark mages?_  
  
Approaching the tree, she quickly took a peek around it. She saw three men gathered around in a circle with a huge bag sitting next to them.   
  
_No....not dark mages. At least, not any mages belonging to a dark guild. And if they are, they seem to be on the weaker side. Or maybe they're just ordinary thieves. But still, I need to handle this carefully, there's no need to reopen my wounds from yesterday. _  
  
Lucy leaned back before they could catch a glimpse of her.   
  
_Let's see...I obviously need to do something about them, they could end up stumbling on us. Even if I had gotten better with my magic and fighting abilities, there's still three of them and I'm injured. Which star dress should I use? Hmm..._  
  
After a moment of thought, Lucy's eyes lit up in triumph. Taking the specific key off her key ring she concentrated on sending her magic to it.   
  
"Star Dress: Aries Form," she whispered.   
  
The glow that lit up her body as her clothes changed blended in with the light from the slowly sinking sun.   
  
When the glow disappeared, Lucy looked down at herself to see how her outfit changed this time.   
  
What she now wore was a two-toned pink and white woolen hoop dress that stops in the middle of her thighs and leaves her shoulders and arms bare. Her arms were also covered in pink woolen arm warmers and a white woolen choker was around her neck. She also had on leggings with a pink and white striped pattern.   
  
She touched the top of her head and felt horns similar to the ones Aries has on her head, with a ponytail emerging from behind them on both sides.   
  
_Wow, I look almost exactly like Aries does. Now, back to the matter at hand. Remember, I make my own attacks. _  
  
Peering around the tree again, she quickly thought of an idea.   
  
Gathering the magic pink wool Aries is known for in her right hand, she raised and pointed it above the still unaware criminals.   
  
"Wool Snow," she intoned quietly. The wool in her hand shot above them and started raining down snow-sized wool.   
  
"What the hell is this?!" one of the men questioned harshly.   
  
"How am I supposed to know?" the other yelled back, panic evident in his voice.   
  
"Why am I feeling so tired?" the other man muttered.   
  
Lucy smirked. Aries' magic is designed to send opponents into a relaxed and comfortable state that allows the user to either take them down or escape.   
  
Lucy chose the former.   
  
Quickly darting from behind the tree, she rushed towards the person nearest her and used a sweep kick to knock him on his back. A quick neck chop rendered him unconscious.   
  
The other two noticed her.   
  
"You did this!" one of the raged.   
  
He rushed towards her, intending on at least knocking her out, but she flipped over him and punched him in the back of the head, bringing him down as well.   
  
One to go.   
  
"You bitch!" the last man snarled as he barreled towards her.   
  
"Wool Shot!" she shouted out.   
  
A blob of wool shot out from her outstretched hand and hit him square in the chest.   
  
He became woozy. "Ugh....w-what's happening?" he said sleepily.   
  
And that's when Lucy rewarded him with a 'Lucy Kick' to his face.   
  
Lucy glanced at the three men she managed to bring down and managed a small smile despite the situation.   
  
_I did it! And it was me! Not me and one of my spirits or Natsu or Gray helping me....it was all _me_!_  
  
Shaking herself out of her stupor, she made her way to the bag she saw next to them. Going through it she saw that it was mainly filled with money and what looked like the precious possessions of other people.   
  
But then she came across something that made her blood run cold.   
  
There were three silver gate keys in there.   
  
Fury rushed through her when she saw them.   
  
_The nerve of those men! They have no _right_ to these keys!_  
  
She took them out of the bag with care and slipped them onto her key ring. She'll deal with them later.   
  
Straightening up, she was about to tie them up when a voice spoke up.   
  
"So, you're the one who took out my friends, eh?"   
  
Whirling around Lucy came face to face with another man who must've been an accomplice to the people she just took out.   
  
She said nothing.   
  
He looked her up and down and licked his lips. "Cute, fiery, _and_ could kick some ass?" the man said sarcastically. "You're gonna be fun to break. I'm actually looking forward to it."  
  
Lucy’s face tightened in fury and disgust.   
  
"Vine whip!" the man yelled out. Vines erupted from the ground at his feet and lashed out at her.   
  
Lucy jumped and flipped out the way before taking refuge behind a tree.   
  
The man barked out a laugh. "C'mon**_ bitch_**! We're not done having fun yet!" he yelled out in glee.   
  
"Only one of us will walk away with the ability to actually use our legs," Lucy growled to herself. "And that sure as hell is going to be me."  
  
The memory of her sending the huge tiger that attacked her yesterday over the cliff with a single punch came to her mind.   
  
With a grin, she took off another key from her key ring and said quietly. "Star Dress: Taurus Form!"  
  
Her body lit up again, changing her clothes.   
  
"There you are you bitch!" the man's voice rang out. Vines tried trapping her against the tree but Lucy flipped away, landing back in front of the man. And what he saw made lust flare up in his eyes, to Lucy's disgust.   
  
Lucy’s outfit had changed to that of a bra top and detached sleeves, both with a cow pattern on them. Black pants that leave the entire right leg revealed with white gloves and boots as well. A belt and a bag were wrapped around her waist and she had a black choker with a small bell around her neck.   
  
Her hair was styled up in two buns on each side of her head with bangs framing her face.   
  
The man in front of her gave an appreciative whistle. "As I said," he grinned evilly, "I'm gonna have some fun with you."  
  
Lucy glared hatefully at him. She shot forward so fast that the man barely managed to get out of the way of her well-aimed punched. But what shocked him most was the slight shaking and splintering of the ground where her punch had landed.   
  
_H-Holy s-s-shit!_  
  
He was so shocked at Lucy's magical abilities that he was too late to move out of the way of her roundhouse kick.   
  
It sent him back towards a tree that broke when he made contact with it. He slumped to the side, unconscious.   
  
Sensing that the threat was truly gone this time, Lucy collapsed to her knees and allowed the star dress to fade away.   
  
Using two golden gate keys' star dresses took its toll on her, evident from the heavy breathing she was exhibiting. Her chest was also aching a bit, the wounds she received yesterday not fully healed.  
  
But the day wasn't over just yet.  
  
"Lucy?"  
  
Her head shot up and she found herself looking into shocked blue eyes.   
  
"Lisanna?"  
  
  
  



	14. Chapter Fourteen

Jellal looked over at the three girls he was helping to train.   
  
He smiled to himself.  
  
All three of them were coming along nicely.   
  
Carla was able to stay in her human form for longer moments of time and is also able to use her aerial magic efficiently while in her transformation.  
  
Wendy's attacks were getting stronger and she could do them more often without tiring herself out. She was also trying to work on triggering her dragon force as well but that's a work in progress.   
  
And Meredy was able to make sensory links for more than two people without including herself. She was additionally working on how to come up with more attacks that can target a person's sense of pain.   
  
All was going well and everybody was having a good time.   
  
That is until Jellal felt a slight tremor in the ground.   
  
Jellal paused in what he was doing and frowned.   
  
_That's weird...that slight shake was too small to have been the beginnings of an earthquake. So what could it have been? Hmm...wait. What about Lucy?_  
  
Jellal glanced at the others. It seemed as if they didn't notice.   
  
_No need to worry them then. _  
  
"Hey, guys?" Jellal said, catching their attention, "I need to go check on something. I'll be right back."  
  
Meredy snorted as she rolled her eyes. "If you want to go make out with your girlfriend, just say so," she deadpanned.   
  
Carla and Wendy burst into peals of giggles.   
  
Jellal was sure his face was turning very red. "That's not what I was going to do," he said in his defense.   
  
"Uh-huh," Meredy replied unconvinced. "Well go on, don't let us boring commoners keep you from your princess."  
  
Wendy was full-blown laughing at that point.   
  
Carla, who was in her human form, was pressing her hands against her face to keep the laughter in, her shoulders shaking with the effort to stay quiet.   
  
Jellal glared at her, but the intimidation wasn't working very well considering his face resembled a tomato. "I'm leaving," he said stiffly, turning on his heel.   
  
Meredy's cackles behind him only made him quicken his step.   
  
When he was far enough away that he couldn't hear the sounds of their voices, his mind remembers the reason why he wanted to leave in the first place.   
  
_What caused that tremor?_  
  
Jellal hurried in Lucy's direction anxiously. Seconds before he got there, he heard a loud crack in the air.   
  
His eyes widened.   
  
_Kusō, what the hell was that?_  
  
Jellal practically flew across the ground in his haste to see if Lucy was okay.  
  
When he got to where he left her, he discovered that she was gone. His heart tripped and then started beating twice its normal rate while fear anxiously tried getting ahold of it.   
  
_C'mon Lucy, where are you?_  
  
Jellal, trying to control his frantic heartbeat, rushed off in the direction he heard the noises, no doubt figuring that Lucy is probably in the middle of it since she wasn't where he left her.  
  
A few minutes later, he passed a couple of trees and saw her. She was on her knees on the ground and visibly exhausted. Around her were the unconscious bodies of other people, including someone leaning against a tree that looked to be snapped in half.   
  
He hurried towards her. "Lucy!" he called out.   
  
Lucy's gaze snapped from whatever she was staring at to his eyes that were filled with worry for her.   
  
"Jellal," she said breathlessly as he crouched down next to her, his hands going straight to her face and his eyes roaming her body for signs of injuries.   
  
He sighed in relief when he found none. "Are you okay?" he asked, one of his hands leaving her face to caress her hair.   
  
She leaned into his touch. "I'm fine," she responded, her voice tired.   
  
"It's just....um," Lucy's voice trailed off as she looked pointedly in the direction he saw her looking in before he showed up.   
  
Frowning in confusion, he turned in that direction. Only to freeze at the sight of a young white-haired girl with a Fairy Tail emblem on her leg, exposed by the shorts she was wearing. She had a wide-eyed look of shock on her face as she glanced between the two of them.   
  
"Even though it looks like you're affiliated with Fairy Tail, I don't know your name. Who are you?" Jellal asked cautiously.   
  
"Her name is Lisanna," Lucy answered for her. "She's Elfman's and Mirajane's little sister."  
  
She then narrowed her eyes at her. "What are you doing here Lisanna?" she asked her.   
  
"Uh....I-I-I'm j-just here o-on a mission," she stuttered out.   
  
_Of all the people to run into...it just _**_had_**_ to be her. Why is she here? Why is she with Jellal? And where's Wendy and Carla? And isn't Jellal traveling with Meredy and Ultear? Where are they?_  
  
"What is your mission?" Jellal asked.  
  
"Umm...I...I'm supposed to get rid of a huge tiger that was bothering some campers in this forest," Lisanna replied.   
  
"Oh, well, it attacked us just yesterday and I was able to push it over a cliff back that way," Lucy said, indicating with her head where the cliff was.   
  
Jellal snorted quietly in amusement.   
  
_Oh yeah, she just _pushed_ it over the cliff. Right._   
  
"You defeated it?" Lisanna asked, disbelief plain as day in her voice.   
  
Lucy heard it and frowned. "You don't think I did it?" she asked.   
  
Jellal frowned as well.   
  
Lisanna flinched. "I-I didn't mean it like that," she said quickly.   
  
"Sure," Lucy muttered. "Anyway, we'll take you to where it fell, you can check for yourself."  
  
"Alright," Lisanna said quietly.   
  
Lucy and Jellal got up from the ground, but when Lucy went to take a step she buckled in exhaustion.   
  
"Whoa," Jellal said as he steadied her. "Are you alright?"  
  
Lucy took a deep breath before replying. "Yes, I'm fine. I used two Star Dresses to get those guys so my magic core is pretty low right now," she explained.   
  
"’Star Dresses’?" Lisanna murmured in confusion.   
  
"Speaking of those guys," Jellal commented, "what happened here?"  
  
"Long story," Lucy muttered.   
  
She pulled out her whip, Fleuve d'étoiles, and handed it to Jellal. "Here, use this to tie them up so they don't escape while we show Lisanna to the cliff," she said tiredly.   
  
Seeing how tired she was, Jellal took the whip without argument and proceeded to tie them up.   
  
While he was doing that, Lisanna turned to Lucy. "Why are you here with Jellal?" she asked quietly.   
  
_Because I want to be?_  
  
"We ran into each other and he's been helping me train," Lucy responded, slightly hostile.   
  
"I don't mean for this to sound mean," Lisanna stated, "but why would he help you?"  
  
"Because I want to," Jellal's voice interrupted sharply.   
  
Lisanna glanced over quickly and saw that Jellal had finished tying up the people Lucy had dealt with.   
  
_I wonder...how _did_ she beat them? Did she do it herself? But then what did she use to beat them if she didn't use her spirits?_  
  
"Alright, let's get this over with," Jellal grumbled.   
  
Nodding, Lucy went to take a step forward but forgot about how tired she was and buckled under her own weight again.   
  
Jellal caught her again and swung her up into his arms. "Careful, love," he murmured in her ear. Although his tone was concerned, there was a touch of amusement in there too.   
  
Lucy huffed but had a small smile on her face. "I'll try," she said as she rested her face in his neck.   
  
Lisanna watched all of this in shocked silence.   
  
_Oh my gosh. Do they...like each other? But if that's true...what about Erza? Does she know about this?_  
  
"Alright, follow me Lisanna," Jellal called over his shoulder.   
  
Shaking off her stupor, she followed the duo in the direction Jellal was walking. After a few minutes, the trees began to fan out and Lisanna saw the edge of a cliff.   
  
She walked to the edge and peered over it, noticing how far away the ground was. "It fell over the edge?" she questioned.   
  
"Hai," Jellal answered curtly, still holding Lucy in his arms.   
  
_I don't know what it is but this girl rubs me the wrong way._  
  
"Okay," Lisanna responded, "Well, I'm going to fly down and check to see if there's anything I can bring back as proof for my client."  
  
"We'll be waiting," Lucy said with her face still pressed against Jellal's neck, so her voice was muffled.   
  
Lisanna nodded and turned towards her objective. "Animal Soul: Wings!"  
  
Her arms lit up in a flash of light and when it faded, her arms were replaced by wings with green and pink feathers. Without a backward glance at either of the two mages, she jumped off the cliff and flew down to the ground.   
  
When she jumped, Jellal sat on the ground and settled Lucy in his lap. "I don't like her," Jellal said bluntly.   
  
Lucy looked at him in slight surprise. "Really?" she said. "How come?"  
  
"She doesn't seem to like you," he replied. "You know, I thought that if one of your guildmates found you, that they'd be so happy to see you. Like with hugs and saying 'I missed you' and 'are you ok?'. But all she did was look at you while you were exhausted on the ground. She didn't even try to help you."  
  
Lucy nodded slowly, her hand entwining with one of his unconsciously. "I see your point," she admitted. "Before I left, I sometimes caught her staring at me. It wasn't mean or anything but...it kind of unnerved me."  
  
Jellal narrowed his eyes slightly as he squeezed her hand. "Yeah, that kind of sounds weird," he agreed.   
  
He then looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Are you going to tell me the deal with those guys back there now?" he asked.   
  
Lucy blushed. "Yeah," she said softly. "See, I was trying to find you guys and..."  
  
~wWw~  
  
Lisanna finally landed at the bottom of the cliff and took a look around, her arms changing back to normal as she did so.   
  
_Where's the tiger's body? And...what's that smell?_  
  
For some reason, Lisanna saw it fitting to follow the smell, the beginnings of an idea forming in her head.   
  
_The smell reminds me of old meat that's been left out accidentally. This smell could be leading me to the tiger's dead body. _  
  
She kept walking towards the smell; it was getting worse the closer she came. There's a slight fog in the air, not allowing her to see more than a couple of yards in front of her.   
  
The image of how close Lucy and Jellal were, came unbidden into her mind.   
  
_Are they together or something? But...isn't he a criminal? How can they have a future together? And again, what about Erza? Isn't she in love with him? And I thought he was in love with Erza too. What changed?_  
  
So lost in her thoughts, Lisanna didn't notice the mound of flesh right in front of her until she nearly tripped over it.   
  
After regaining her balance, she looked down to see what it was and nearly threw up the contents of her stomach.   
  
It was the tiger alright, but it was so deformed that Lisanna had to look again to make sure.   
  
It was obviously dead because the skin was peeling away, bones were sticking up in places, there were bite marks from other animals on it, and the smell coming from its body was making her eyes tear up and her nose burn.   
_  
__Oh Kami-sama, this is...rancid._   
  
Holding her breath, she bent down to break off one of its claws that still remained intact.   
  
"This will be sufficient proof for the client," she murmured to herself as she stood up.   
  
She then glanced from the carcass of the tiger to the edge of the cliff so high up and far away.   
  
Her eyes narrowed.   
  
_The body landed pretty far away from the cliff. Lucy said she's the one who knocked it away and over the edge but....not to sound rude but Lucy doesn't have the brute strength needed to pull that off. But her spirit Taurus does. Maybe he's the one who actually did this. _  
  
Pocketing the claw from the tiger, Lisanna transformed her arms into wings again and flew back towards the others.   
  
When she finally made it back up and landed in front of them, Jellal was saying something to Lucy and they hadn't noticed her yet. "You're pretty amazing, you know that?" he asked while smiling at her.   
  
Lucy laughed and leaned her head against his, smiling a thousand-watt smile. "I might've been told that once or twice," she said.   
  
Jellal grinned, moved his face closer to hers, and kissed her, one hand on her waist and the other reached up to caress her hair.   
  
Lucy moaned softly as she wrapped her arms loosely around his neck and tilted her head to fit their lips together better.   
  
Lisanna's eyes widened drastically.   
  
_Oh my god, they _are _together!_  
  
Realizing that she was just standing there watching them make out, she cleared her throat.   
  
They broke apart and stared up at her, red staining both their cheeks. "S-Sorry," Lisanna stuttered out.   
  
There was an awkward silence for about ten seconds before Lucy broke it. "You, uh, y-you got what you needed?" she asked, trying to will the blush away.   
  
Lisanna nodded. "Hai, I did," she answered.   
  
She started looking uncomfortable. "Lucy? Can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked nervously. "Alone?"  
  
Lucy's eyes widened at the request and she exchanged looks with Jellal. After a moment, she looked back at Lisanna and said, "Sure."  
  
Jellal moved then, getting up and helping Lucy to sit on the ground.   
  
He kissed her forehead. "Yell if you need anything," he told her seriously.   
  
She smiled at him. "Hai, I will," she replied softly.   
  
The corners of Jellal's lips lifted in a smile before he brushed the backs of his fingers down her cheek. He then left the two of them alone, but not before glancing quickly at Lisanna.   
  
When Jellal left, Lucy looked to Lisanna. "Well, what's wrong?" she asked her curiously.  
  
"I want to apologize," she said softly as she moved to sit beside her.   
  
Lucy gazed at her in confusion. "Apologize?" she asked. "Apologize for what?"  
  
Lisanna took a deep breath. "I was gone for two years," she explained. "And when I came back, I foolishly thought that everything will remain the same as it was. But I was wrong, things changed. And I...I got jealous."  
  
"Jealous?" Lucy repeated.   
  
Lisanna nodded miserably. "Hai. You're best friends with Natsu, my sister adores you, and everybody in the guild wants to be your friend," she admitted. "That used to be me, but not as much. I got jealous of you and in my jealousy, I called you nasty names."  
  
Lisanna turned to Lucy with tears in her eyes. "I've thought the worse of you," she whispered. "I let my bitterness get the better of me and let it rule my actions. And I...I am s-so s-sorry!"  
  
It seemed like the floodgates slammed open and Lisanna sobbed loudly into her hands, her shoulders shaking from the force of her sobs.   
  
Lucy sat there in stunned silence, her mouth open in a surprised 'o'.   
  
"What....what names did you call me?" she asked quietly.   
  
"I-I-I c-called y-you a weak, u-useless, a-a-and a slut!" Lisanna wailed. "B-But I d-didn't m-m-mean it!"  
  
_She called me a _**_slut_**_?!?! What the hell?! Just because she was jealous doesn't give her the right to call me out my name!_  
  
"You had no right to call me those things," Lucy said in quiet fury. "I've never done anything to you or talked behind your back. I’ve shown nothing but kindness, and yet you talk and think the worst of me behind my back?"  
  
"I know!" Lisanna sobbed. "I know! I was petty and mean and there's no excuse for my behavior! You cannot possibly hate me more than I hate myself!"  
  
Lucy breathed deeply in and out, trying to remain calm. She wants to hate her, wants to shout and scream in her face, but she can't muster up the will to. She wasn't that kind of person.   
  
_She looks pretty pathetic right now anyways. That's enough. _  
  
"Alright," Lucy said quietly. "Alright just—just stop crying."  
  
Lisanna tried but the sobs kept fleeing from her mouth.   
  
"STOP CRYING!" Lucy yelled. "OUT OF BOTH OF US,** I** SHOULD BE THE ONE CRYING, BUT I'M NOT! SO** STOP IT**!"  
  
Her yelling shocked Lisanna enough that she stopped sobbing. She looked at her in shock.   
  
Lucy closed her eyes and tried to control her breathing.   
  
_Calm down, calm down, calm down. Breathe. Think happy thoughts. Think of people who make me happy. My mom, Master Makarov, Gray, Levy, Wendy, Carla, Meredy...Jellal. _  
  
That last name she thought made her blush and smile slightly. She opened her eyes and turned to look Lisanna in the eye. "I'm not okay with you calling me those names and I'm not okay with your bitter attitude, no matter the reason. But I forgive you," she said.   
  
"You...forgive me?" Lisanna asked in awe.   
  
"Hai," Lucy nodded curtly. "I should be yelling at you right now. I should be screaming, shouting, and maybe even smacking you. But I don’t want to be mad at you. I don’t want to hold onto the anger and end up taking it out on someone that doesn’t deserve it. So, I forgive you. But that doesn't mean I'll forget what you said. Do you understand me?"  
  
"I don't expect you to," Lisanna quietly. "But...thank you."  
  
Lucy nodded again and looked away. "You can leave now," she said dismissively.   
  
Lisanna nodded, even though Lucy couldn't see it.   
  
She stood up and started walking away. However, a thought occurred to her before she could get out of sight. "You should probably find somewhere else to go train," she said.   
  
Lucy turned to her in confusion. "What?" she asked. "Why should I?"  
  
"I was around you long enough for your scent to cling to me," she explained. "As soon as I step into the guild, all the dragon slayers will smell you on me and they'll force me to tell them where I saw you. And even if they don't force me, Mira has a record of my mission and she'll tell them."  
  
"Kusō!" Lucy cursed. She then sighed. "Alright, arigatō Lisanna."  
  
"You don’t have to thank me," she replied softly. “It’s the least I can do for you.” She then continued on her way, bypassing Jellal as she left.   
  
Jellal frowned in her direction as he walked back over to Lucy. "Hey, what was that about?" he asked as he sat down next to her.   
  
Lucy sighed and laid her head down to rest on his shoulder. Jellal grabbed her hand and brought it up to his face to kiss the inside of her wrist and then entwined their fingers.   
  
"Well," Lucy started saying.   
  
~wWw~  
  
"Maguilty Sodom!" a voice rang out.  
  
Teal blades flew towards a tree and none of them missed its mark.   
  
Meredy smirked. "Right on target," she said smugly.  
  
"That was so cool Meredy!" Wendy exclaimed.   
  
"That attack of yours seems to be getting stronger," Carla commented.  
  
Meredy grinned and flashed a peace sign.   
  
Wendy frowned suddenly. "Hey, Jellal's been gone a long time," she said.   
  
Carla nodded. "Hai, it's been at least an hour," she responded.   
  
Meredy frowned as well. "I hope he's okay, Lucy too," she said.   
  
Carla nodded and resumed the stretches she was doing in her human form to be more nimble.   
  
Wendy sighed as she resumed her meditation.   
  
_I hope Jellal and nee-chan are okay. _  
  
After five minutes of silence, the three girls heard the sound of approaching footsteps. They turned their heads towards the sound and saw Jellal and Lucy walking towards them, Lucy’s arm over Jellal's shoulders to help her walk.   
  
Wendy quickly got up hurried to Lucy's side. "Are you alright nee-chan?" she asked as she held her glowing green hands over her body, healing anything she could. The only thing wrong with Lucy was her tiredness from using a lot of magic and the wounds on her chest were still tender.   
  
When she was done, she stepped back and observed the two. She was quite startled to see an angry look on Jellal's face though.   
  
Meredy saw it too. "What's wrong Jellal?" she asked in concern.   
  
He breathed in deeply through his nose before exhaling slowly out his mouth while Lucy held his hand tightly. "Apparently, someone from Fairy Tail had a mission here in Crocus and ran into Lucy in the woods," he said calmly.   
  
"Nani?!" All three girls yelled out.   
  
"Who was it?" Wendy asked.   
  
"It was Lisanna," Lucy replied.   
  
"Lisanna?" Meredy said with a furrowed brow. "Isn't she Mira-san's little sister? The one that everyone thought had died?"  
  
"Hai that's her," Carla answered her. "But why does her running into Lucy make you so upset Jellal?"  
  
"I'll tell it," Lucy said softly.   
  
She then looked to Jellal. "Why don't you go take care of those bandits?" she suggested. "We'll be fine."  
  
He nodded. "Sure," he said. He kissed her quickly on the cheek and then he was gone.   
  
"What happened nee-chan?" Wendy asked quietly.   
  
Lucy sighed.   
  
_They're not going to like this._   
  
~wWw~   
  
Lisanna stepped off the train in Magnolia and let out a sigh.   
  
_Well, here goes nothing. _  
  
She made her way to the guildhall as slowly as she could, waving back to those who waved at her.   
  
In what seemed like no time at all, she was walking through the doors and entering the guild.   
  
For now, everything seems to be fine.   
  
She walked up to Mira and told her about the job, excluding the fact that she saw and talked to Lucy.   
  
"Alright, I'm glad everything went well," Mira said.  
  
Lisanna only smiled and nodded to show she heard her. With nothing else to do, she turned around with plans on going home.   
  
_Wow, maybe they won't notice her scent on my clothes._   
  
Unfortunately, she only made it a couple of steps before a voice rang out.   
  
"Hold on a minute!"  
  
Everyone stopped what they were doing to turn to the person that shouted.   
  
Lisanna hid a wince.   
  
It was Natsu. He was standing up next to a table where the rest of Team Natsu were sitting, an angry look on his normally grinning face.   
  
And he was glaring directly at Lisanna.   
  
"What is it Natsu-nii?" Romeo asked him.   
  
"Lisanna, why do you have Lucy's scent on you?" he asked furiously.   
  
Gasps were heard throughout the guild as heads swiveled around to face Lisanna.   
  
"What do you mean her scent is on her?" Levy asked with an angry look on her face.   
  
"Salamander's right," Gajeel said gruffly, "Bunny-girl's scent is clinging to her clothes."  
  
"What did you do Lisanna?!" Mira asked, anger etched on every inch of her face.   
  
"Nothing!" Lisanna said fearfully. "I didn't do anything!"  
  
"Then why is her scent on you?" Gray asked her.   
  
"IranintoherwhileIwasonmymission," Lisanna said quickly and quietly.   
  
"Nani?!" the guild yelled out.   
  
Lisanna sighed. "I ran into her while I was on my mission," she enunciated carefully.   
  
Everyone stared at her with wide eyes. "You....you ran into her on your job?" Levy asked in astonishment.   
  
Lisanna nodded. "Hai, I did," she answered.   
  
"Well?! Where is she?!" Natsu demanded.   
  
"She wants to be left alone Natsu," she said to him, trying to make him understand.   
  
"Don't tell me that like you actually care about her," Natsu snapped. "Now where. Is. She?"  
  
Still, Lisanna hesitated in answering. That opening gave Mira the chance to speak up.   
  
"Lisanna's mission was in the forests surrounding Crocus," she said.   
  
Natsu nodded and heading towards the door. "Let's go Happy," he snapped.   
  
"Aye sir!" he said happily as he flew after Natsu.   
  
"We're coming too," Gray said firmly as he and Erza stood up and followed after Natsu.   
  
"We'll be back," Erza said before the doors slammed shut.   
  
An awkward silence settled over everyone else as nobody knew what to say in the situation.   
  
Lisanna sighed to herself.   
  
_I stalled as long as I could. Good luck Lucy. __  
__  
_~wWw~  
  
The silence was permeating the surroundings of the three girls and exceed, the things that Lucy said fresh on their minds.   
  
Finally, Wendy spoke up. "I can't believe Lisanna said those things about you," she said in a shaky voice.   
  
Carla shook her head on disappointment. "It is unbecoming for a young lady to be so petty," she said disapprovingly.   
  
Meredy scowled. "Someone should drop a house on that," she snarled.   
  
Lucy waved her hands in a dismissive gesture. "It's fine guys," she insisted. "Besides, we got bigger things to worry about."  
  
"Like what?" Meredy asked.   
  
"The minute Lisanna steps into the guild, the dragon slayers will smell me on her," she explained. "Knowing Natsu, he'll come rushing here as fast as he can."  
  
"So we need move," Carla realized.   
  
"Hai," Lucy answered.   
  
"So where can we go?" Wendy asked worriedly.   
  
"That's a good question," Jellal said as he returned to the group. Smirking slightly on how he was able to scare them, he silently handed Lucy back her whip and got a smile in thanks.   
  
Lucy got lost in her thoughts, trying to come up with a new place for them to go.   
  
The idea came to her suddenly and she let an involuntary gasp of surprise slip from her mouth.   
  
"Lucy?" Jellal said in concern. "What is it?"  
  
Not willing to answer yet, she hurriedly pulled off the three silver keys she acquired from the men she beaten earlier.   
  
As she stared at them, a slow smirk began blossoming on her face.   
  
"I think I've got an idea."  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never wanted Lisanna to be the bad guy. When people are consumed by jealousy, they can lash out in harsh and hurtful ways but that doesn't mean that they're necessarily evil.
> 
> I always thought that Lisanna should have struggled to fit in with her friends more after being gone for two years. Everyone had changed and things weren't that same. I just thought that this is an aspect that she could've struggled with.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long! But here it is, another chapter!

Erza sat on the train going to Crocus, Gray sitting next to her and Natsu and Happy across from them on the other seats.   
  
To their surprise, Natsu wasn't curled up on the floor moaning and groaning about his motion sickness. While his face was still tinged green and he had to occasionally lean out the window to throw up the contents of his stomach, he was able to sit upright in his seat and stare determinedly out the window, lost in thought.   
  
No one has utter a word since they boarded the train. Even Happy, the normally bright and energetic exceed with a grin on his face and an "Aye Sir!" at the tip of his tongue, had a solemn expression on his face.   
  
However, after a while, Gray couldn't take the silence anymore. "What are you going to say to Lucy if she's still there?" he asked Natsu.   
  
Natsu glanced at him before replying. "What do you think? I'm gonna ask her to come home!" he exclaimed before clamping a hand over his mouth.   
  
"That's it?" Gray asked incredulously.   
  
Natsu glared at him but didn't say anything with the fear of throwing up still present.   
  
Gray glowered at him and crossed his arms over his chest. "That's not a good enough reason," he stated.   
  
Natsu's glare became slightly feral. "What do you mean 'that's not a good enough reason'?" he snarled. "She's _Nakama_! She should be with friends!"  
  
"Baka! She_ is_ with friends!" Gray yelled. "Wendy and Carla are with her!"  
  
"Then why are you on this trip?!" Natsu hissed out. "Why are you coming along if she's supposedly fine with her friends?"  
  
"Because she's like a little sister to me ash-for-brains!" Gray exclaimed. "I'm just going to ask if she needs my help! If she does need my help then I'll help her, but if she doesn't then I'll leave her alone as she _wants_!"  
  
"Bullshit! You want her to come back just as much as I do!"  
  
"What I want and what she wants are not the same thing!"  
  
"ENOUGH! **BOTH** of you!" Erza yelled, shooting both of them a glare.   
  
Natsu and Gray stopped their shouting match but still glared at each other with irritation and annoyance.   
  
"Natsu," she said sharply, "Why are you so determined to bring Lucy back?"  
  
Natsu stared at her incredulously. "How can you ask me that Erza?! She's my best friend!" he exclaimed.   
  
"But she's also her own person Natsu," she countered softly. "You can't always be with her."  
  
"Watch me," he muttered mutinously.   
  
"What is your problem baka?!" Gray asked furiously. "You're acting as if you think she can't take care of herself! And that makes you a damn hypocrite since you yelled at Lisanna when she said the same thing you’re insinuating!"  
  
Natsu glared at him hatefully. Happy's head whipped back and forward as if he was watching a tennis match as he watched them bicker back and forth.  
  
And then, Natsu did something that shocked everyone.   
  
He covered his face with his hands and burst into tears, sobs tearing from his mouth, like water from a stream rushing down a valley without a dam to stop it.   
  
Gray's anger melted away only to be replaced with shock and confusion along with everyone else.  
  
"Natsu?" Happy questioned anxiously.   
  
It was only then that they realized he was repeating something over and over again.   
  
"Can't let it happen again can't let it happen again can't let it happen again..."  
  
"Natsu!" Gray called out.   
  
When he still didn't give any indication that he heard him or even acknowledged anyone else, Erza leaned over to bop him on the head.   
  
"Natsu! Snap out of it!" she cried out.   
  
He stopped muttering and sobbing but tears still leaked out from his eyes as he stared down at his feet, his hands gripping his hair.   
  
"Natsu, what do you mean by 'can't let it happen again'?" Erza asked him.   
  
He shook his head violently, refusing to answer.   
  
"Out with it you idiot!" Gray shouted, fed up with Natsu's attitude. "What has you all freaked out? What can't you let happen again?"  
  
Still, Natsu stayed silent.   
  
"Natsu," Happy said quietly, "Are you talking about what happened to Future Lucy?"  
  
Natsu went still at his words. By his reaction, everyone knew instantly that Happy got it right.   
  
"That's what this is about?" Gray asked quietly. "The future version of my little sister dying?"  
  
For a while, Natsu remained silent and unyielding. Just when they thought he wouldn't answer and would continue to ignore them, he spoke. But the voice that started speaking was so haunted and laced with pain that a blind person would've mistaken him as a dying man.   
  
"I wasn't fast enough," he whispered brokenly. "I was so surprised by what Future Rogue was saying that I froze. I wasn't able to deflect that sword he threw at her. I was too slow, and because of that...Future Lucy was killed."  
  
Silence reign supreme after what he said. Happy had no idea that the incident affected Natsu so much.   
  
Gray was both sad and ashamed. He was sad about any version of Lucy, the person he sees as a little sister, dying and ashamed at feeling happy he wasn't in Natsu's place.   
  
And Erza was shocked at how Natsu was handling it. Because, to her knowledge, he wasn't this bad when everyone thought Lisanna had died.   
  
Happy was the first one to break the silence. "Why didn't you tell me how you were feeling about this Natsu?" he asked sadly. "You're my best friend!"  
  
"Because," he said hoarsely, "if I had to talk about it then I'm pretty sure that I'll end up crying."  
  
He let out a laugh that lacked any humor. "Like I am now."  
  
"Natsu," Gray said, "Look, man, I know you must be feeling like shit, but what does her death have to do with our Lucy now?"  
  
"Don't you get it?!" Natsu yelled out in desperation, "What do you think would've happened if Future Lucy _wasn't _there, huh?! It would've been _our_ Lucy that ended up with a sword in her chest! It would've been _our_ Lucy who would've died! And it would've been all my fault!"  
  
"No, it wouldn't've!" Gray insisted. "It would've been Future Rogue's fault! He's the one that threw the blade and killed her!"  
  
"You don't understand!" Natsu roared. "None of you do!"  
  
"I wouldn't be so sure Natsu," Erza said quietly.   
  
And that's when Happy, Gray, and Natsu went still in fear.   
  
The people outside of Fairy Tail would say that Erza is the most terrifying girl of the guild because of her strength in battle and her tough attitude. But only those who are actually members of Fairy Tail know the true reason she's terrifying.   
  
Oh sure, when she's mad she'll yell at you and nine times out of ten will kick your ass seven ways to Sunday when she's done. Or while she's yelling.   
  
But when she's truly pissed off, her voice goes quiet. When she speaks, it's like her voice is dripping ice-cold venom that'll burn you as long as you hear her voice.   
  
Her body goes still but you can't help but wait for her to strike.   
  
Her demeanor switches from a crouching tiger to a hidden dragon.   
  
Ezra's eyes flashed to Natsu's face and he couldn't help but flinch. Her eyes were like steel, piercing through his soul and seeing all his secrets.   
  
"I know _exactly_ how you feel Natsu," Erza continued quietly, "Remember Simon?"  
  
Natsu blanched. "I....I-I'm sorry Erza," he said shamefacedly. In his own panic, he'd totally forgot about her own demons.   
  
Erza sighed. "Look Natsu," she said, "I know you worry about Lucy, especially after you saw her future self....pass on. But you have to trust her to take care of herself. Like I said before, you can't always be with her. And Lucy needs to be able to stand on her own two feet.”  
  
Natsu sighed as all the fight drained out of him. "I don't want to lose anyone else," he admitted with closed eyes.   
  
"You won't Natsu," Happy chirped. "We're Fairy Tail! We look after each other!"  
  
"Happy's right," Gray commented.  
  
Erza just smiled.   
  
Natsu gazed at them for a moment longer before letting out another sigh, this one not as heavy as the other ones. "Alright," he said reluctantly. "I guess I can see your point."  
  
Erza nodded. "Good."  
  
Natsu furrowed his brow. "I won't ask her to come back with us, but I do want to ask her something," he said.   
  
"Ask her something?" Gray questioned. "Ask her what?"  
  
Natsu hesitated slightly before replying. "Well, you know when you drink a smoothie you can taste different flavors in it?"  
  
"Hai," Gray answered slowly. "What does this have to do with asking Lucy something?"  
  
"It's the same with scents" Natsu explained. "A weird combination of other scents comes together to form a person's signature scent."  
  
"Okay," Gray said, "I still don't see what this has to do with Lucy."  
  
Natsu sighed. "There was another scent clinging to Lisanna besides Lucy's," he said.   
  
"Well, it must've been Wendy's or Carla's," Gray insisted.   
  
"No," he denied. "I know what they smell like. This was a different person."  
  
"So you're gonna ask Lucy...what exactly?" Gray asked.   
  
Natsu took in a breath before sneaking a quick glance at Erza.   
  
She noticed this and narrowed her eyes at him.   
  
"I'm gonna ask her why in the hell _Jellal's_ scent was with hers," Natsu hissed quietly.   
  
Everyone else's eyes widened comically. "Jellal's scent?!" Erza asked quietly.   
  
Natsu eyed her warily. "Hai."  
  
Erza's fists clenched in her lap.   
  
_What?! WHY in the name of Kami-sama is Jellal with Lucy?! How did THAT happen?!_  
  
Gray was also glancing at her from the corner of his eyes.   
  
_Kusō. Her skin is the same color as her hair and she looks like she's about to explode. _  
  
"Well," Happy said, "at least I can offer him some fish.”   
  
A glare sent his way by Erza scared him into being quiet; probably for the next ten years.  
  
~wWw~  
  
Master Makarov was in his office doing paperwork.   
  
After a while, anime tears began rolling down his cheeks. "These damn brats are trying to kill me," he moaned. "They're not even trying to be upfront about it; they’re trying to do it with _paperwork_."  
  
Before he could continue, he heard his guild doors slam shut.   
  
He sighed in exasperation.   
  
_Now what?_  
  
He got out of his chair and walked out of his office to see a completely quiet guild.   
  
_Huh, you don't see this every day. _  
  
"Alright brats," he shouted at them, "what in blazes happened this time?"  
  
"Team Natsu found out where Lucy was Master," Mira answered. "They went to go find her."  
  
Makarov sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Kami-sama," he muttered.   
  
He glared at them. "And how exactly did they found out," he asked angrily.   
  
Everyone looked to Lisanna and she blushed under the attention.   
  
Makarov wasn't amused. "Well?" he demanded.   
  
"Umm," she stammered, "I-I had a mission in Crocus and I ran into Lucy and, uh, I mean I ran into her and then I came back and Natsu smelled her on me so they left to go find her."  
  
Everyone stared at her suspiciously. Especially Levy, Mira, and Master Makarov.   
  
Levy narrowed her eyes.   
_  
__It sounded like she was about to say someone else's name. But whose?_  
  
"They are _so_ going to get punished when they get back," Makarov said dangerously.   
  
Everyone couldn't help but shudder at his tone. There's a reason he's considered one of the wizard saints.   
  
At that moment, the guild doors opened again. But it wasn't Team Natsu or someone else from the guild that walked through.   
  
As a matter of fact, nothing walked through. An eagle flew inside the guild and landed on the railing the Master was standing on.   
  
Everyone was staring at it in surprise. But not because it randomly flew into the guild.   
  
But because it was obviously not a regular eagle.   
  
For one, its main body was grey instead of brown, and it had black feathers on its wings and its feet and beak were also black.   
  
And also, everyone can sense magic coming from him. Her? It?  
  
Makarov studied the creature intently, curious and confused as to why it was in his guildhall. It was then that he noticed a folded piece of paper that was in his (Her? Its?) mouth.   
  
He carefully retrieved and opened it. And smiled as he read its contents.   
  
‘_Dear Master Makarov,__  
__  
__Hi Master! How are you doing dealing with the guild's bad habit of destroying things on a job? Don't answer, I think I made you depressed just thinking about it. Anyway, as you're probably already aware, Lisanna ran into me on her job. And if I know Natsu, as soon as he smells me on her he'll immediately demand where she was and then come after me, most likely with the rest of the team. So, Wendy, Carla, and I would like to request to train on Tenrou Island. I'd also like to point out that we ran into Jellal and Meredy and they've been helping us train. I'd understand if you don't want them on the island but please answer as quickly as you can. __  
__  
__With Love, Lucy.’ _  
  
Makarov folded up the paper and smiled to himself.   
  
_It feels good to hear from her._   
  
He walked back into his office to write up a quick reply and gave it to the eagle. It quickly took it in his beak and flew back out the doors.   
  
"What was that," Jet asked in confusion.   
  
"Just a message from a friend," Makarov replied mysteriously.   
  
Everyone exchanged confused looks. This day just kept getting more complicated.  
  
~wWw~  
  
Everyone was sitting around waiting for the eagle to come back.   
  
Carla was in her human form and was allowing Meredy to play with her hair while she chatted with Wendy.   
  
Lucy had her head against Jellal's shoulder and he had his fingers carding through her hair. They were both silent, but it wasn't awkward. They were both quiet people by nature. 

(Well, Lucy was when she wasn’t irritated or pissed off.)  
  
Earlier, Lucy had explained the three silver gate keys she had acquired. Apparently they were Aquila the Eagle, Pegasus the Winged-Horse, and Asterion and Chara, the Hunting Dogs.  
  
Lucy told them she'll summon Aquila and see if it can deliver a message to Master Makarov. Turns out he could, so he immediately went off.  
  
"Say, nee-chan," Wendy said suddenly, "can Aquila only deliver things?"  
  
Lucy sat up and shook her head. "No," she answered, "but what a spirit can do is not only up to their title."  
  
"What do you mean by that?" Carla questioned.  
  
"Well," Lucy began, "Aquila is described as just an eagle. He has wings so he can deliver things, but his sharp eyes are good for seeing things far away and his claws are sharp enough to attack something."  
  
"Sugoi," Meredy breathed. "What about the other two?"  
  
"Well, Pegasus is just a winged-horse so I can't think of anything other than transportation," Lucy answered. "But the hunting dogs, Asterion and Chara, could prove very useful in tracking, attacking and, of course, hunting."  
  
"Hmm," Jellal said, "do you think you can summon them now while we wait?"  
  
Lucy shrugged. "I don't see why not."  
  
She stood up and took out the right key. Holding it out in front of her she said the words. "Open, Gate of the Hunting Dogs: Asterion and Chara!"  
  
A bright light engulfed them as Lucy's magic did its thing. When the light died down, two creatures were in from of them.  
  
They were ethereally beautiful. Even though they had the build of dogs, they were as big as wolves.  
  
One of them had a silver coat of fur that seemed to glint in the fading sunlight. Its eyes were as black as night but seemed to hold a wealth of intelligence in them.  
  
The other one, in contrast with the silver one, had a black coat of fur that seemed to catch rays of sunlight and hide them from the sun. Its eyes were silver but had a speck of white in them too.  
  
Jellal, Meredy, Wendy, and Carla were all gaping at them, too in awe to speak.  
  
Lucy, however, did what was expected of a proper Celestial Spirit Mage.  
  
She took a step towards them and bowed her head. "Konnichiwa, Asterion-san and Chara-san, it's a pleasure to meet you both. My name is Lucy and I'm your new summoner," she said politely.  
  
It was quiet for a moment.  
  
Then...  
  
"Konnichiwa, Lucy-san," a woman's soft voice said. It seemed to be coming from the silver canine.  
  
"I am Chara, and this," she said, indicating the black canine with her head, "is my brother, Asterion. It's been a while since we've been summoned."  
  
"Indeed," a deep voice said. It was coming from the black-furred canine. "I hope we can serve you well Lucy-san."  
  
"And I promised to do you both justice and to protect you if necessary," Lucy replied seriously.  
  
The two hunting dogs looked taken aback, as much as canines could, by the fierceness in her voice while her friends merely smiled.  
  
_That's nee-chan/Lucy for you. _  
  
Before anyone else could reply, a screeching overhead brought their attention to the returning eagle, who landed on Lucy's shoulder.  
  
She smiled and took the note from its mouth. "Thank you, Aquila," she said thankfully.  
  
He made a noise of affirmation before vanishing back to the spirit world.  
  
Lucy read the note and smiled brightly. "Good news," she said, turning towards her friends. "Master said we can use Tenrou Island for our training."  
  
The three girls looked at her in shock while Jellal stared at her stunned. "Tenrou?" he asked. "As in the island that is owned by Fairy Tail?"  
  
Lucy nodded. "Hai."  
  
"But what about us?" Meredy protested. "I highly doubt that your master will allow us to go there."  
  
"No problem," Lucy replied instantly. "Master already knows about the two of you and approves of you coming with us."  
  
Jellal blinked. "Well alright then."  
  
Wendy giggled at his response.  
  
"Well," Carla said, "I suppose we should get going."  
  
"Hold on," Lucy stated before turning to the two hunting dogs who had yet to go back to the spirit world. "Can you guys do me a favor?" she asked.  
  
"Of course Lucy-san," they replied in unison.  
  
Meredy couldn't help but shiver at how they spoke at the same time.  
  
"My friends are looking for me but I want them to leave me alone for now," she explained. "Can you two stay here and see what they do? In secret?"  
  
"It would be our pleasure Lucy-san," Asterion replied.  
  
"Thank you," Lucy said in relief. "Don't reveal yourselves and report back to me when they make their decision."  
  
"Hai," they replied. They then turned and seemingly vanished into the woods.  
  
"Okay then," Lucy said as Jellal took her hand. "Let's go."  
  
~wWw~  
  
By the time Natsu, Happy, Erza, and Gray stepped off the train, it was nearly nightfall.  
  
"Alright," Gray said, "what do we do now?"  
  
"Stand aside ice sculpture," Natsu said as he shoved past him, a smirk on his face. "Let my nose do what it does best."  
  
"Get shoved into the dirt?" Gray asked innocently.  
  
Natsu leveled a death glare at him but didn't respond.  
  
Happy patted Gray's head in sympathy. "Don't worry Gray," he said. "We were all thinking about it."  
  
Natsu ignored them all and inhaled deeply through his nose with his eyes closed. After a moment of silence, he snapped his eyes open.  
  
"Her scent is very faint," he explained, "but it looks like it leads to the forest."  
  
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Happy said as he flew towards the forest. "Let’s go!"  
  
"Aye, sir!" Natsu responded and followed after him.  
  
Gray and Erza rolled their eyes at their antics but followed them nonetheless.  
  
After fifteen minutes of running, they reached the place where Natsu claimed her scent is the strongest.  
  
"So this is it then?" Gray questioned as he glanced around.  
  
Natsu nodded as he brought his flaming fist closer to his face. Night has fallen and the only light that was provided came from the moon before Natsu lit his fist aflame.  
  
Erza glanced around as well. "Do you smell Jella's scent here too?" she demanded of Natsu.  
  
He nodded carefully. "Hai, it's really strong here, along with Meredy's scent too."  
  
"No Ultear?" she asked in shock.  
  
Natsu shook his head. Neither of them noticed Gray stiffen at the mention of Ultear's name.  
  
"Guys!" Happy exclaimed as he flew back towards them. "I think I saw dried blood over there!"  
  
"Nani?!" They all exclaimed before rushing off to the place Happy pointed to.  
  
When they got there, they saw a small pool of dried blood on the grass. Natsu wrinkled his nose. "It's Lucy's," he told them.  
  
He, Gray, and Happy exchange worried looks with one another. Erza felt guilty that she felt the smallest bit of relief that it wasn't Jellal's blood.  
  
"Well, what do we do now?" Happy questioned.  
  
It was quiet after that. No one knew what to say to that.  
  
Gray was the first to break the silence.  
  
"I think we should head home," he admitted.  
  
Erza and Natsu whirled around to face him. "Nani?!" they exclaimed.  
  
"Lucy, Wendy, and Carla can take care of themselves," he explained. "And if Natsu's right then Jellal and Meredy are with them. Meredy has lost magic and Jellal has the power of a Wizard Saint. They'll be fine."  
  
"I know you want to check on Lucy," he said, turning to Natsu, "and I know that you want to see Jellal" - here he glanced at Erza who glanced away with a pink face - "but they're gonna be fine. Like I said before, they can take care of themselves."  
  
After a moment, Erza nodded with resignation and Natsu slumped with defeat. "Alright," he said sadly. "C'mon guys, let's go home."  
  
They all turned and headed back the way they came. None of them noticed the two pairs of glowing eyes that watched them go.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought it would fit Master Makarov's character to alow Jellal and Meredy onto Tenrou Island with the others. He would've known the truth about each of them from Erza and Gray.
> 
> Also, each of the Silver Keys is real constellations, if that wasn't clear.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

"Ugh! My feet are killing me," Meredy complained.   
  
She and the others were trekking through the woods in the dark. The sun had long since disappeared below the horizon and took the light with it. Jellal had a small ball of celestial light in his hand that was enabling them to see a couple of yards in each direction.   
  
Lucy glanced at Meredy over her shoulder, where she and the other two were walking, and smiled guiltily. "Sorry Meredy," she said sincerely, "but we have to keep moving just in case Natsu and the others decide to try and follow us."  
  
She huffed in irritation but nodded nonetheless.   
  
Wendy giggled at her antics while Carla merely sighed.   
  
Lucy smiled and turned to face Jellal. "Are you sure you're okay with that?" she asked, indicating with her head his hand that wasn't currently wrapped up with hers.   
  
He glanced at his hand holding the light before looking back at her with a smile. "Hai, I'm fine," he answered. "What about you? Aren't you tired?"  
  
"Of course," she answered, "but like I told Meredy, we have to keep moving."  
  
He said nothing to that, but he pulled her against his body, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She smiled and laid her head against his shoulder.   
  
Meredy's eyes were shining at their display of affection while Wendy and Carla were merely grinning.   
  
Lucy closed her eyes as she reveled in the warmth Jellal provided. She could hear his heart beating faintly, hear him breathing strongly, him turning his head to press a kiss to her head, soft running footsteps on the forest floor -.  
  
Wait a minute.   
  
Lucy straightened up suddenly, shocking Jellal and the others, before turning around and staring into the darkened woods.   
  
"Lucy?" Jellal questioned anxiously.   
  
Before she could reply two beings appeared before them.   
  
It was Asterion and Chara.   
  
"Lucy-san," they intoned.   
  
Lucy let out a breath of relief and went to her knees in front of them. "Asterion-san, Chara-san," she said in relief. "Are you both alright?"  
  
The two canines glanced at each other before they faced her again. "We are well Lucy-san," the deep voice of Asterion answered.   
  
Lucy nodded. "Good."  
  
"We are here to tell you that your friends have left to go home," Chara said loftily. "They are no longer following you."  
  
Sighs of relief were heard all around as her news registered within their brains. "Oh thank _Kami-sama_," Meredy exhaled in relief as she sank to the ground on her knees.   
  
Lucy placed a hand on both Asterion’s and Chara’s heads and smiled sincerely. "Arigatō," she said, "you may go back to the spirit world."  
  
They both bowed their heads in acknowledgment. "Sayōnara Lucy-san," they both said before they disappeared in flashes of celestial light.   
  
"Alright," Lucy said as she stood up again, "I'm gonna go get some stuff to build a fire."  
  
"I'll go with you," Wendy commented as she went to stand beside her.   
  
Lucy grinned and ruffled her hair. "Sure imouto," she said cheekily.   
  
She glanced at the others. "We'll be back."  
  
Fifteen minutes later, everyone was sitting around a roaring fire. Contentment was rolling off them in waves as well as exhaustion.   
  
Lucy was once again leaning against Jellal with her eyes closed, listening to the crackling of the flames and the chattering of Meredy and Wendy.   
  
"I like this," she murmured to him, who once again was carding his fingers through her hair.   
  
"Hm?"   
  
"I like feeling like this," she explained. "Not having to hide or worry about dark guilds, or feeling like people are looking down on me. I like feeling..." she trailed off, not knowing what word to use.   
  
Jellal hummed and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. "Content," he said, staring down at her.   
  
She smiled and looked back at him. "Hai," she said quietly. "That's it exactly."  
  
He leaned down as she raised her chin and their lips met in a searing kiss.   
  
Everything faded away. To them, no one else was present. To them, no one but the two of them existed.   
  
This kiss was unlike their previous ones. It was deeper and powerful. They each poured their feelings into that one kiss and it was like fireworks exploded behind their eyelids.   
  
Lucy's hands reached up to tangle in his hair while Jellal's arms were wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him until she was practically in his lap.   
  
It's impossible to know if they would've gone any further because, at that moment, a voice broke through the fog that clouded their minds.   
  
"Whoa! Kids present! Keep it PG!"  
  
Lucy’s face flamed up as she pulled away slowly and pressed her face into Jellal's collarbone with a giggle. Hearing him laugh made it harder for her to stop giggling.   
  
"We're going to sleep," Jellal said to the laughing Meredy.   
  
Wendy wasn't fairing any better, she was rolling around the forest floor, tears of mirth falling from her closed eyes.   
  
Carla was torn between being disapproving or join Wendy in laughing her ass off. So she settled for a smirk which looked surprisingly good on her face.   
  
Jellal ignored all of them as he laid back and pulled Lucy down with him so her ear was pressed against his chest. Right above his heart.   
  
"Good night," he whispered to her.   
  
Lucy grinned and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. "Good night," she whispered back.   
  
With the warmth of the fire and the presence of one another, it didn't take long for them to fall asleep.  
  
~wWw~  
  
Meredy, Carla, and Wendy all watched as the lovely couple fell asleep.   
  
Meredy sighed. "I wish I can have something like that," she said wistfully.   
  
Wendy nodded in agreement. "Hai, I know what you mean."  
  
"Well, you shouldn't!" Carla exclaimed. "You are still just a child."  
  
Wendy blushed as she thought of a certain person she'd like to spend more time with back at Fairy Tail.   
  
"Why Wendy Marvell, who's on your mind to make you blush like that?" Meredy asked slyly.   
  
If possible, Wendy blushed even more.   
  
"We should all follow Lucy's and Jellal's lead and get some sleep," Carla said.   
  
Meredy nodded in resignation. "Hai hai," she said.   
  
They all laid down and tried to get some sleep.   
  
The keyword was **_tried_**.   
  
None of them could fall asleep no matter how hard they tried.   
  
Finally, Meredy couldn't take it anymore. "Ugh!" she shouted as she sat up. "I can't sleep!"  
  
Wendy sat up too, yawning slightly. "Me too," she admitted. "I'm tired, but for some reason, I can't seem to fall asleep."  
  
"Same here," Carla replied.   
  
Everyone was quiet for a moment, each of them thinking up of ways on how to go to sleep.   
  
And then Wendy had an epiphany. "Ne, Carla?"  
  
"Hai?" she said as she turned towards her.   
  
"Can you sing for us?" she asked. "Like you did for me back at Cait Shelter?"  
  
Carla paused for a moment, debating within herself before she sighed. "Sure Wendy," she answered to the delight of Wendy and Meredy. "What do you want me to sing?"  
  
"You choose," she answered as she laid back down.   
  
Carla hummed in thought as she tried to think of something. Her eyes fell on Lucy and Jellal and she smiled. "I have something."  
  
"Alright," Meredy said as she too laid back.   
  
Carla laid back as well and stared up at the sky. Looking at the stars she could see and the moon hogging the remaining light up there, she began to sing.   
  
"Tale as old as time  
True as it can be  
Barely even friends  
Then somebody bends   
Unexpectedly."  
  
Wendy smiled as she listened to her exceed friend sing.   
  
Meredy grinned as she noticed the parallels between the song and their two sleeping friends.   
  
"Just a little change  
Small to say the least   
Both a little scared  
Neither one prepared  
Beauty and the beast."  
  
Wendy felt her eyelids start to droop the longer she listened to Carla sing.   
  
Meredy couldn't stifle the yawn that was torn from her mouth the longer she listened.   
  
"Ever just the same  
Ever a surprise  
Ever as before  
Ever just as sure   
As the sun will rise."  
  
Carla herself had to stop herself from yawning. She was putting herself to sleep.   
  
"Tale as old as time  
Tune as old as song  
Bittersweet and strange  
Finding you can change  
Learning you were wrong."  
  
Meredy has finally succumbed to sleep and Wendy wasn't too far behind.   
  
"Certain as the sun  
Rising in the east   
Tale as old as time   
Song as old as rhyme  
Beauty and the beast."  
  
Finally, Wendy joined Meredy, Jellal, and Lucy in the land of sleep. Carla could've fallen asleep right then and there but she sang the last lines of the song to herself.   
  
"Tale as old as time   
Song as old as rhyme  
Beauty and the beast."  
  
And then, Carla gave in to her body's demands for sleep and drifted into unconsciousness.  
  
~wWw~  
  
They were lucky to catch a train that still ran at this time of night. Natsu immediately fell asleep against a window and Happy was curled up in the seat next to him, drool dribbling out of his mouth and unto the leather and creating a small pond of it.  
  
Erza and Gray remained awake in various states of concentration. Erza was staring at her lap, trying not to think about why Jellal and Meredy - but mostly Jellal - would be traveling with Lucy and the others.   
  
_It all comes back to that one question. Why would he want to travel with her? What did she say to get him to go along? Did she threaten to tell the Magic Council where he was? No that's absurd, Lucy isn't that kind of person. But...I still want to know why. And how did it happen in the first place?_  
  
"Erza?" Gray's voice broke her out of her train of thought.   
  
She looked over to find him staring at her suspiciously. "Yes, Gray?" she asked.   
  
"You're quiet," he accused.   
  
When Erza lifted a brow in question he elaborated. "What I meant was, when you're quiet, you're either thinking about something really hard or you're upset over something. So," he said with his own raised brow, "what is it that has rusted your armor?"  
  
Erza snorted slightly at his last comment before becoming serious again. "I just..." she hesitated slightly before continuing, "I just want to know why."  
  
"Why what?" Gray asked in confusion.   
  
"I want to know why Jellal joined up with Lucy," she admitted. "What could get him to help her? He doesn't even know her that well, he only saw her when she was with me. And how did she convince him to go with her?"  
  
Gray stared at her incredulously. "That's what you're thinking about?" he asked her. "Erza, we just saw a small puddle of dried blood that belongs to our friend who we've hadn't seen in days, and you're worried about why your friend is with her?"  
  
Ezra's face flushed in shame and she looked down at her lap. "I...I apologize," she said, "It's just...he's been controlled for so long and...I've just got him back. I just want him to be okay."  
  
Gray sighed and the irritation seeped from his face. "Look, I get it," he said. "You care about him and his well-being. But you have to know when to let him do what _he_ wants and not what _you _want."  
  
Erza nodded to show she understood.   
  
But she really didn't.   
  
_It's not as simple as that Gray. Because I think that my feelings for him go way past that of just a friend. The question is, does he feel the same? I don't...I don't know if I want to know the answer to that or not._  
  
Gray had other things on his mind. Of course, he's worried about Lucy but he trusts that she can take care of herself. She and Wendy and Carla, too.   
  
_I wonder if Jellal and Meredy know about Ultear. If they don't, do they think about where she could've gone? And if they do know, how did they handle it? The sharp pain of knowing you lost someone close to you; I wonder how they handled that pain. Especially Jellal, who has lost more than I have._   
  
Gray sighed again as he leaned against the window of the train. He stared up at the sky littered with twinkling stars. Oddly enough, he could've sworn that two of the bigger stars up there were twinkling brighter than the other ones.   
  
~wWw~  
  
When Asterion and Chara arrived back in the Spirit World, both of them were confused. It was true that they haven't been summoned in a while but the times they do remember of being contracted to mages were not particularly pleasant.   
  
Lucy was...different. She seemed genuinely concerned about their wellbeing and was willing to work alongside them instead of ordering them around and using them as shields.   
  
Chara glanced at Asterion. "She is different than the others brother," she said softly.   
  
Asterion bobbed his head in what can only be interpreted as a nod. "That she is Chara," he murmured, "that she is."  
  
"Should be an interesting adventure, ne?" she said with a slightly playful tone in her voice.   
  
Asterion chuckled. "We shall see indeed," he answered.   
  
~wWw~  
  
A man stood on top of a building in Crocus, staring in the direction of the castle where the royal family resides.   
  
He smirked to himself. The ordeal with the Eclipse Gate was supposed to be kept under wraps but he was able to find out about it.   
  
Hmm, how would they react when he dangled this over their heads?  
  
"I don't understand why we don't do it now," a woman next to him grumbled.   
  
The man glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Patience," he murmured to her. "After all, the cat plays with the mice for hours before she eats them."  
  
The girl let a crazed grin fall onto her face. "And our brand of mice are particularly tasty," she said as she licked her lips and stared greedily towards the castle. "All the more reason to let them squirm."  



	17. Chapter Seventeen

Morning light streamed through the windows of the Strauss home. As per usual, Mirajane was up early so she could head over to the guild. She hummed a song as she stepped into the shower.   
  
Her good mood vanished as she thought about what happened last night.   
  
Everyone wanted to stay up and wait for Team Natsu to see if they have any information about Lucy, but it got so late that everyone had to go home.   
  
_So, I guess we'll find out what they know today then. _  
  
She stepped out, dried herself off, and went off to find her dress that she seems to have a million copies of.   
  
After getting dressed, she checked on Elfman and Lisanna to see if they're still sleeping, and then made her way to the guild.   
  
She waved to everyone that said 'hello' and dodged certain males in their attempt to ask her out.   
  
She let out a sigh of relief when she saw the guildhall.   
  
_Yareyare! If they keep this up, I'll unleash my demon soul to bat them away!_  
  
Stepping into the building, she glanced around and saw that hardly anyone was here. She quickly got to work on cleaning the dishes and making sure there's enough food for today.   
  
_Hmm, I'll probably need to go grocery shopping later today. Especially with the appetite of the men in here. _  
  
She laughed to herself. "Especially Laxus," she giggled.   
  
"What about me?"  
  
Mira startled so badly that she dropped the mug she was cleaning. A hand shot out and grabbed it before it can break on the floor. Mira's eyes traced the arm it was attached to, all the way up to his eyes.   
  
_Speak of the devil and he shall appear. _  
  
"Thank you, Laxus," Mira said with a smile.  
  
"No problem," he replied as he handed her back the mug. "Now, what's this about me?"  
  
Mira shook her head. "Nothing important," she said truthfully.   
  
Laxus gazed at her. "If you say so."  
  
She smiled and went back to cleaning. She allowed her mind to wander slightly.   
  
_What will Team Natsu say when they all show up? Did they find her? Is she alright? Will they even show up?_  
  
"-ira? Mirajane!"  
  
Mira snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Laxus calling her name. "Y-Yes?" she answered him.   
  
"Are you okay?" he asked her.   
  
"Hai, I'm fine," she replied and tried to pull off a convincing smile.   
  
Judging by the look on Laxus's face she didn't quite do it right.   
  
"Īe, I've known you for a long time, Mira," he said, "I can tell when you're lying to me."  
  
Mira sighed. "Kūso, sometimes it's annoying when you do that," she admitted to him.   
  
He smirked. "I know, now spill it."  
  
She sighed again. "It's just...I'm a little anxious about what Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Erza found out about Lucy when they went to Crocus," she told him. "I hope she's okay."  
  
Laxus frowned at the worry in her voice and the fear he can smell emanating from her. Back when Lucy first joined the guild, he thought of her as nothing but a lightweight, can easily be defeated, and not worthy of joining his idea of the guild.   
  
But she has heart, more than most in this guild, and she uses that to inspire others in a fight. Hell, she even defeated Bickslow.   
  
Not to say that she isn't powerful in her own right. Makarov taught Laxus a lot of things about different types of magic when he was younger. He once said that Celestial Wizards shouldn't be underestimated just because they use a holder type magic. They have the ability to summon different kinds of spirits, all with different abilities.   
  
He said that unless you know the wizard personally, you cannot predict the attacks they'll launch at you. That's what makes them dangerous.   
  
Laxus shook his head slightly and brought himself back to the present conversation. "Look," he said, "even if she's not with them, she's not some helpless little girl. She's a powerful Celestial Mage."  
  
"I know," she replied instantly. "I know she's not helpless. But she's a part of my family, she's like my little sister. I just worry when she doesn't talk to me about things before she does them."  
  
Laxus nodded in understanding.   
  
Mira turned to him to say something else but stopped once she saw his expression.   
  
It wasn't exactly livid but it was pretty angry.   
  
"Laxus? What is the matter?" she asked him.   
  
His nostrils flared slightly as he gazed at the guild doors. "Speaking of little sisters," he snarled slightly.   
  
Mira's eyes widened, immediately knowing who he was talking about. "You can smell Lisanna coming?" she asked.   
  
He nodded. "Her and Elfman," he answered stiffly.   
  
Mira gave him a look. "Don't say anything to her," she said sternly.   
  
"She insulted a member of our family," he growled.   
  
"She had her reasons. I'm not excusing her behavior," she said in response to the look on his face, "but she was bitter, and when people are bitter they lash out."   
  
She gave him a look. "Much like a certain someone who made our guild members fight against one another," she said pointedly.   
  
Laxus's face didn't change but Mira had known him a long time too. So if his face doesn't give anything away, you have to look in his eyes. And his eyes had a slightly abashed look in them.   
  
"Whatever," he muttered just as the guild doors opened and the mentioned girl plus her brother walked in.   
  
However, not even Elfman seemed to be happy with Lisanna. As soon as they walked in, he headed straight for one of the tables and sat down, not even glancing at Lisanna once.   
  
Mira waved her over, however. "Konnichiwa Lisanna," she said. "You're going to help me make the food today. Go wash your hands before you take out the food."  
  
Lisanna nodded and went to do as she said, glancing over at Elfman before leaving.   
  
Mira sighed and looked to Laxus. "Well, I'd better get to work before everyone else shows up," she said.   
  
He nodded. "See ya later Mira," he said before he walked away.   
  
Mira shook her head slightly.   
  
_It seems that everyone is slightly tense today, even if it is for different reasons._   
  
People slowly trickled in as the day wore on and Mira and Lisanna served everyone who needed it.   
  
People were still sort of cold to Lisanna, but at least they were willing to answer her questions so she can get their food or drink.   
  
It was noon before any member of Team Natsu showed up. Gray entered the guild and things got sort of quiet.   
  
He looked around at everyone in confusion before asking, "Nani?"  
  
"What happened?" The guild asked almost in unison.   
  
He shrugged. "In my opinion, it went fine. But we should wait for the idiot and the Titania before you can hear the whole story."  
  
Everyone groaned at his lack of an answer. He shrugged again and went over to the bar and ordered some food while he waited for the other two. Three if he counted Happy.   
  
Lisanna, of course, stayed away from him. She heard from around the guild, from Mira, and even witnessed herself that Gray and Lucy have a sibling-like bond with each other.   
  
_No doubt he's still pissed at me. It might be better all-around if I just leave him be. _  
  
Maybe fifteen minutes had passed before Erza strolled through the doors. She glanced around the hall once before making her way over to Gray, taking a seat on the barstool next to him.   
  
"Why is everyone looking so agitated?" she asked him.   
  
"They want to know what happened yesterday," he explained. "They want us to tell them what happened."  
  
"I see," she said. She thought again for probably the thousandth time about Jellal being with Lucy, Wendy, and Carla.   
  
_I just want to know why? What was it that convinced him to help her? _Why_ does he want to help her?_  
  
Gray caught the look on Erza's face and nearly groaned out loud.   
  
_Okay, I get that she's wondering why Jellal was with Lucy. But seriously, she's met Lucy, and she's known her a while. Lucy's personality is infectious. I mean yeah, I wanna know too but I'm not obsessed with it. _  
  
Mira brought them something to eat before leaving to tend to someone else.   
  
Gray started eating, but when he saw that Erza hadn't even touched her food he got annoyed. "Erza, seriously, you can't keep obsessing over this," he said to her.   
  
"I know," she replied. "I know it's...I've known Jellal since we were kids. He's isn't someone that will drop everything just to help some random stranger. And he doesn't even know Lucy." She sighed. "All of these questions in my head and they don't have any answers. It's just making me feel a bit...lost."  
  
"Then go buy a map," Gray snapped.   
  
Erza looked over at him in shock – and in slight hurt – but he was getting up with his food. Without looking back he walked over to where Levy was sitting with Gajeel and Lily and sat down with them.   
  
Before Erza can process what had just occurred, the guild doors opened once again, and in walked Natsu with Happy riding on his shoulder.   
  
Everyone ceased their talking and stared expectantly at him.   
  
He looked back at them. "Nani?"  
  
"What happened Natsu?" Levy spoke up before anyone else. "I see that Lu-chan isn't with any of you but you guys don't seem depressed or anything. So what happened?"  
  
Lisanna was staring at Natsu as well.   
  
_I'm pretty sure that Natsu-kun must've smelt Jellal when he and the others got to their campsite._   
  
She glanced over at Erza.   
  
_He must've told the others. But I'm guessing he doesn't know how close they really are. And if they ask me about it, I'm not telling. I owe Lucy that, at the very least._   
  
Natsu sighed before he went and sat at Levy's table, sitting across from Gray.   
  
"Well," he began as everyone leaned forward, "before I tell you what happened, you lot need to know something."  
  
Everyone looked at him in confusion.   
  
"When I smelled Lucy's scent on Lisanna yesterday," he said while glancing at the animal takeover mage herself, "I also noticed someone else's smell was mixed with hers."  
  
Everyone but Gajeel and Laxus looked confused. "He's right," Gajeel spoke up. "I didn't recognize who it was but there was definitely someone else besides Bunnygirl."  
  
Laxus nodded in agreement with Gajeel's statement.   
  
"Well," Kinana spoke up, "who was it?"  
  
Natsu frowned. "I couldn't be sure at first," he admitted. "I haven't smelled that scent since the Grand Magic Games and that was three months ago."  
  
"Oh for the love of Kami-sama!" Cana exclaimed. "Who the hell was it?!"  
  
Natsu turned his head to face her scowling face with his blank one. "It was Jellal," he said softly.   
  
Silence.   
  
Not. 

A single.   
  
Sound.   
  
Wide eyes, gaping mouths, and expressions of 'What The Hell?!' was on almost every single person in the guild.   
  
Then–  
  
"NANI?!"  
  
Lily and Happy clasped their hands – or if you want to get technical, their paws – over their ears as their eyes made swirly signs.   
  
"Lu-chan is with Jellal-san?" Levy asked in shock.   
  
Natsu only nodded.   
  
Mira lowered her hand from where it was cupped over her mouth. "Wow," she said, "I was not expecting that at all."  
  
Many of her fellow guildmates nodded in agreement.   
  
However, someone noticed that Lisanna wasn't sharing in their surprise. They narrowed their eyes at her.   
  
_Well well well, what do we have here?_  
  
"But _you_ were," they said to her.   
  
Everyone heard his voice in the silence of the guild. "Laxus?" Mira said in confusion, "what are you talking about?"  
  
"I'm just saying," he said without taking his eyes off of the younger Strauss sibling, "Lisanna here didn't seem too shocked that Lucy was with Jellal. Wonder why?"  
  
Everyone was staring at Lisanna now. "Lisanna? Did you already know about this?" Erza asked her with narrowed eyes.   
  
Lisanna stared right back at her. "Hai, I did."  
  
"And you didn't think it was a good idea to mention this to us?" Erza continued asking, her tone cold.   
  
"No," she said. "It wasn't any of your business. Who Lucy hangs out with is her business, not for your interference."  
  
Erza glared at her. "Oh so now you care about her."  
  
Lisanna looked away. "I was just jealous of her," she whispered slightly. "I was jealous and I lashed out okay? It's no excuse but I already _apologized_ to _her_."  
  
Before Erza can say anything else, Laxus interrupted them. "Not that this isn't fascinating," he said sarcastically, "but we're getting off track."  
  
Gray sighed. "He's right, we'll talk about that later."  
  
Natsu nodded. "Anyway," he said, "when we got to Crocus, I picked up on her scent and followed it into the woods. It led us to some kind of campground and hers, Jellal's, Wendy's, Carla's, and even Meredy's scent was all over the place."  
  
Levy frowned. "No Ultear-san?" she questioned.   
  
Gray shook his head. "No, there was no sign of her."  
  
"Hmm." Levy placed her hand on her chin in a thinking pose.   
  
"Anyway," Natsu continued, "it was too dark to continue looking for them, and by then it seemed pointless to keep looking if we're just going to end up leaving them alone."  
  
_I don't want to tell them about the blood we found. It'll make them feel worse._  
  
It was silent for a few moments while everyone tried to process all that they learned.   
  
Erza couldn't take the silence any longer. "Lisanna, what exactly happened when you ran into Lucy?" she asked.   
  
Lisanna glanced at her in surprise. Looking around, she noticed that everyone was looking at her in curiosity.   
  
_Well, at least they're not glaring at me._   
  
Her eyes landed on Levy, who was narrowing her eyes at her.   
  
_Well, most of them aren't. _  
  
Lisanna sighed audibly before she began her tale. "My mission was to get rid of a tiger that was terrorizing local campers. I went into the woods looking for it. But instead of finding it, I found Lucy."  
  
There were intakes of breath at that but Lisanna kept talking. "She was on her knees on the ground and panting kind of hard. There were three bandits around her on the forest floor, all knocked out."  
  
"Go Lu-chan," Levy muttered under her breath with a grin.   
  
"She noticed me standing there and asked me what I was doing there," Lisanna said. "I was going to tell her about my mission, but then Jellal showed up asking if she was okay. He didn’t even realize I was there until Lucy pointed out to him."  
  
Erza's eyes widened.   
  
_What? The way she's describing him, it seems that he was so focused on Lucy that he wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings. But why? Jellal’s not like that._  
  
"I told them about my mission," Lisanna continued talking, ignoring shocked looks on everyone's face, "and Lucy said that the tiger already attacked them and they dealt with it."  
  
"Sugoi," Romeo breathed out, "Lucy's kicking butt."  
  
Levy nodded in agreement.   
  
"Lucy and I talked for a minute and then I left," Lisanna finished up.   
  
Everyone stared at her a moment, but none more than Erza.   
  
_I'll have to ask her about Jellal later._   
  
Mira glanced around at everyone, noting their thoughtful and slightly sad expressions. She squared her shoulders.   
  
_Enough is enough! We are Fairy Tail Kami damnit! _  
  
Mira clapped her hands together, the noise shocking everyone out of their thoughts. "Alright, Minna! Enough of this doom and gloom stuff! Fairy Tail is about to get their soul back!"  
  
"Nani?" the guild said in unison.   
  
Mira didn't answer, instead choosing to bring out something from under the counter. She placed it on the bar counter and everyone recognized it as a Lacrima Player.   
  
Mira tapped it a couple of times before music started coming from it.   
  
She grinned at everyone and started singing along to the lyrics:  
  
"We are, we are  
Not your ordinary fami-mily   
But we can all agree that we are, we are  
Close as close can be!"  
  
Everyone smiled as they listened to the all too familiar lyrics. Mira grinned and continued singing:  
  
"We are, are, are, are, are  
We are, are, are, are, are  
We are, are, are, are, are  
We are, family!"  
  
Evergreen stood up and sang the next lines, her mood automatically lifting:  
  
"So it don't matter what it looks like  
We look perfect to me  
We got every kind of love  
I feel so lucky indeed!"  
  
Levy interrupted her to sing the next lines, a huge grin on her face:  
  
"They can keep on talking  
It don't matter to me  
Cause we are, we are family, family  
We are, we are family!"  
  
By this time, the whole guild was livelier than it was a moment ago. If they weren't singing or humming along, they were dancing. Even the more reserved Gajeel and Laxus were bobbing their heads along to the lyrics.   
  
Laki started up the next line. "Okay, so the links in our chain makes us strange-"  
  
"But really they make us stronger!" Max finished for her, smiling disarmingly towards her.   
  
"And no, I wouldn't replace not a thing!" Lisanna sang.   
  
Bisca smiled at Alzack. "Mother–"  
  
"Or father," Alzack grinned at her.   
  
"Go, Daddy!" Asuka shouted out happily.   
  
"Cause we come from everywhere," Gray said - cause apparently he's doesn't sing - in a low tone.   
  
"Searching for ones to care," Erza sang softy.   
  
"Somehow we found it here," Juvia sang loudly.   
  
"We found us a home!" Everyone sang in unison.   
  
Everyone sang the last lines together:  
  
"We are, we are  
Not your ordinary fami-mily   
But we can all agree that we are, we are  
Close as close can be.   
  
"We are, are, are, are, are  
We are, are, are, are, are  
We are, are, are, are, are  
We are, we are family!"  
  
Alzack pulled his family close and sang, "Family."  
  
Lisanna looked at her siblings. "Family," she sang quietly.   
  
Mira grinned at everyone before singing the last line of the song. "We are, we are–"  
  
"FAIRY TAIL!"  
  
Everyone cheered as the song ended, whooping and whistling and just being cheerful in general. **(A/N: Yes, yes, I know, it was super corny but I did it anyway!)**   
  
Mira looked around at everyone's smiling faces and infectious laughter and smiled to herself.   
  
_This is the Fairy Tail I remember. This is my family. _  
  
~wWw~  
  
"Okay, so we should be reaching the edge of this forest soon enough," Lucy said to her traveling companions.   
  
Everyone had woke up and refreshed themselves before heading out.   
  
Lucy and Jellal had their arms entwined with the other's and lead the way, with Meredy and Wendy trailing slightly behind them. Carla was riding on Meredy's shoulder.   
  
"Once we leave the forest we should be near the ocean," Jellal continued explaining. "We'll be able to use our magic then to reach Tenrou Island without alerting anyone to our presence."  
  
Carla nodded from where she was sitting. "A solid plan," she complimented. "Very good."  
  
Lucy blushed at the praise while Jellal merely smiled and pulled her closer to him and pressed a kiss to her head.   
  
Carla could practically _feel_ Meredy struggling to hold back a squeal at the sight of them. She herself couldn't hold back a slight smile at the scene.   
  
_They truly are adorable._   
  
Wendy spoke up then. "Nee-chan? Can you think of anything to pass the time?"  
  
"Hmm." Lucy got a thinking look on her face while everyone waited for her answer. "Well," she said after a while, "there's this story and riddle that goes along with it that one of my tutors told me once."  
  
"Can we hear it?" Meredy and Wendy asked in unison.   
  
Lucy giggled. "Well, if you're sure," she said teasingly.   
  
They quickly nodded their heads and Lucy grinned are their reactions. Jellal openly chuckled at them.   
  
"Alright then," Lucy said. "Okay, this is it: The noble knight called Sir Voltaire; Long to wed his lady fair; Against this did her father warn; And forbade the hand of enemy sworn."  
  
Lucy glanced at everyone's faces. "You guys got it so far?"  
  
They nodded.   
  
Lucy smiled. "Alright, here's the next verse; The knight and lady plans did make; A time to flee and vows to take; Voltaire brought a mighty flame; And rode a stead that none could tame; He came to fetch her two bells late; At eleven hours stormed the gate."  
  
"Wow, this is surprisingly very interesting," Carla muttered to herself.   
  
Meredy nodded. "Hai, it is."  
  
Lucy continued speaking. "They rode away with arms entwined; Her father's army close behind; But soon the chase did stop mid-ride; Cut off at the riverside; The river could be crossed by ferry; Only two at once would carry; At once Voltaire could see the game; To cross with lady, stead, or flame?"  
  
Lucy glanced at Meredy and grinned. "At no time can the untamed stead be left alone with the lady or the flame and Sir Voltaire has to ride in the ferry with whoever or whatever is being sent across. So, how did they make it?"** (A/N: Can you solve this without reading the rest of the story?)****  
**  
Meredy gaped at her. "Whoa, that's amazing," she admitted.   
  
Wendy frowned in thought. "Hmm, so you can't leave his horse alone with the lady or the flame," she said to herself.   
  
"It seems like you'll have to make more than one trip," Carla spoke up.   
  
"What if he took the lady across and then -" Meredy started saying.   
  
Wendy shook her head. "No that wouldn't work, because he'd leave the horse alone with the flame."

“Well, what if he took the stead first and then came back for the lady…” Meredy’s voice trailed away. “Ugh!” she exclaimed. “My mind is spiraling!”   
  
"I've got it," Jellal cut in with a smirk.    
  
"Oh?" Lucy turned to him with a smirk of her own. "What's the solution then?"   
  
"He takes the horse across first, then goes back for the lady, and then when he gets to the other side, he brings the horse with him when he goes back to get the flame," he answered slightly smug. “Then they’ll all be together on the other side.”   
  
Lucy's eyes widened slightly before she smiled. "Hai, you got it," she admitted with a laugh.    
  
"Wow Jellal," Wendy said, her face full of awe, "you're pretty smart."   
  
His cheeks tinged a light pink and ducked his head slightly.    
  
Meredy grinned over at him. "She's right you know," she said. She then looked at Lucy. "That was a very good poem and riddle."   
  
Lucy grinned and flashed her a peace sign.    
  
Suddenly, Wendy gasped. "I can smell the ocean," she exclaimed excitedly. "The air tastes wonderful! Come on!"   
  
With that, she rushed ahead.    
  
Meredy laughed. "Well, let's go after her!" She raced ahead.    
  
Lucy could've sworn she heard Carla mutter something along the lines of 'impulsive children', before she followed after the other girls.   
  
Lucy laughed and turned to face Jellal. "We should probably catch up to them."   
  
He nodded with a grin on his face. "Hai, you're probably right."   
  
Without further ado, they both rushed towards the three girls they both saw as family.    
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, I got the song the Fairy Tail members sang from the movie, 'Ice Age Continental Drift.' It is not my own.
> 
> Secondly, the poem and the riddle comes from a Nancy Drew video game I used to play. Again, not my own.
> 
> And finally, for those of you who didn't know the Japanese words I used:  
1.) Yareyare ~ my my / a type of sigh  
2.) Hai ~ yes/okay  
3.) īe ~ no  
4.) Nani ~ what  
5.) Sugoi ~ cool


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Juvia exited the guild with a smile on her face. 

_It's been a while since the guild has been like that. _

When Juvia had first joined Fairy Tail, some of their members would sometimes burst out singing or just hum a song under their breath. 

Naturally, after being in the Phantom Lord Guild, that kind of cheerful atmosphere confused her very much, especially the singing. 

When she questioned Mirajane about it, the white-haired mage said that Lucy had inspired the singing. 

Apparently, Lucy's mom always sang songs to her when she was a child, and to feel closer to her departed mother, she often tried to sing or hum something. 

Her guildmates caught on to what she was doing, and soon enough, many of them started singing or humming songs whenever they felt happy or even sad. 

Juvia had thought that it was a great and wonderful idea and immediately went along with it. 

After all this time, she still always found ways to hum a song under her breath. 

The sound of footsteps walking towards her snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked up and was surprised to see that it was Lyon. 

"Lyon?" Juvia questioned in confusion. "What is Lyon doing in Magnolia?"

Lyon chuckled slightly. 

_She is so cute when she speaks in the third person._

"Well, I just finished up a mission, and since Fairy Tail was close by, I thought I'd come and visit you," he explained. 

Juvia couldn't hold back her blush no matter how hard she tried. She quickly averted her eyes to the ground, unable to look at him in her embarrassment. 

Lyon, however, thought it to be adorable. 

_Yareyare, it seems that I was able to get a reaction from her. Quite contrary to how it used to be. Maybe she's warming up to me?_

"So, what were you doing just now?" he questioned. "You seemed to be in a happy mood."

"Hai, Juvia is," she answered with a firm nod. "Juvia and her Nakama just finished singing."

Lyon raised an eyebrow, half in confusion and half in disbelief. "I'm sorry," he said slowly, "did you say you and the members of Fairy Tail were singing?"

Juvia giggled before nodding her head in affirmation. "Hai, Juvia did," she confirmed, still not in complete control of her giggles at the expression on Lyon's face. 

Unbidden, an image of Gray belting out an opera song on a stage with a spotlight trained on him flashed in Lyon's mind, and he couldn't stop the snort that left his mouth.

"If I may ask," Lyon said in an attempt to rid his mind of that frightful image, "why were you guys singing?"

"Oh," Juvia replied. "Well, it is a long story. Would Lyon like to walk with Juvia so she could explain it?"

Lyon grinned at her and gestured with his arm for her to walk with him. "Of course," he answered her. "After you."

Juvia smiled brightly and began walking next to him, chattering happily. 

Lyon smiled. He loved hearing her voice talk about anything, really. In his eyes, she was like an angel. 

It took a while, but Juvia finally finished explaining their reasoning. When she actually got around to looking at where they ended up, she let out a gasp. 

Apparently, she had unconsciously led him to a small pond near Fairy Hills that she liked. It wasn't too big, nor was it too small, and it had a tranquil feel to it since it is surrounded by trees. 

"Ah, gomen, Lyon!" Juvia exclaimed. "Juvia didn't mean to take him so far from town!"

Lyon chuckled. "It is alright," he answered quickly. He looked around in interest. "Where are we anyway?"

"This is a pond near Fairy Hills, a girls' dormitory for Fairy Tail," Juvia explained. 

"Ah, I see," Lyon said. "It seems very peaceful."

"Hai, it is!" Juvia nodded excitedly. "Juvia comes here when she wants to meditate or if she just wants to relax."

"Interesting," Lyon murmured as he looked around. Slowly, a smile formed on his face. 

_I've got an idea._

"Hey Juvia," he called out to her as he sat at the water's edge. 

"Hmm? What is it, Lyon?" she asked as she copied his movement and sat down as well. 

"Sing something," he said simply. 

"Nani?" Juvia gasped out. 

"Sing something," he repeated. "You said this place is peaceful to you and that when you sing something, it's because you are happy. So sing something."

"But...but what if Juvia messes up?" Juvia asked as she wrung her hands. 

"I doubt you will," Lyon replied truthfully. "Just sing what's in your heart."

_As cliche as that sounded, I really want to hear how her voice sounds when she's singing. I bet it'll bring a grown man to his knees, maybe even to tears. _

"A-Alright," Juvia agreed hesitantly. 

She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. 

On the sound of birds chirping. 

On the sound of the water lapping at the edge. 

On the sound of Lyon's breathing next to her. 

On the sound of her own heart beating within her chest. 

And then she opened her mouth and began to sing. 

"You are the ocean's gray waves  
Destined to seek  
Life beyond the shore, just out of reach. 

"Yet the waters ever change  
Flowing like time  
The path is yours to climb. 

"In the white light  
A hand reaches through  
A double-edged blade cuts your heart in two. 

"Waking dreams fade away  
Embrace the brand new day."

Lyon could only watch in awe as Juvia sang her heart out. A sudden wind gushed through the area, catching her flowing blue hair in its path, and making it seem as if it were water itself. 

_Fitting, considering she's like water itself, flowing and graceful. _

Lyon snapped out of his thoughts as Juvia continued singing. 

"Sing with me a song  
Of birthrights and love  
The light scatters to the sky above.

"Dawn breaks through the gloom  
White as a bone  
Lost in thoughts, all alone."

When she finished singing, she opened her eyes and peaked at Lyon to see his reaction. 

He was staring at her with an awed expression on his face, a slight tint of pink on his cheeks, and his eyes seemed to hold an emotion Juvia couldn't quite name. 

"So...was it okay?" Juvia asked tentatively. 

"Okay?" Lyon asked in disbelief. "That was amazing! You are truly gifted, Juvia!"

Juvia blushed and glanced back at the water. She felt her heart start to beat slightly faster, and her breath to quicken a little. 

_Wow, Lyon was really impressed by Juvia's singing. Juvia is glad she was able to impress him. But...what is this feeling in Juvia's chest? It is unfamiliar. _

Lyon was still staring at her in wonder. A glance at the sky showed that it was sort of late in the afternoon. Another idea formed in his head. 

_No harm in asking, right?_

Lyon stood up and brushed the dirt from his pants before offering a hand for Juvia to take. She took it, smiling shyly, and he hauled her to her feet. 

"It seems like I must be leaving for Lamia Scale soon," Lyon confessed. 

Juvia's eyes widened before she looked up at the sky, noticing how late it was getting. "Oh," Juvia said, "Juvia didn't realize how late it was getting."

Lyon steeled his nerves before opening his mouth to ask his question. "Well, would you like to get something to eat with me?" he asked her. 

Juvia looked startled for a second before she smiled cheerfully at him. "Juvia would love to!" she exclaimed happily. 

Lyon smiled in relief. "Great," he said as he smiled down at her. "Well, let us be off then."

Juvia's smile brightened when he took her hand and lead her back towards town. 

~wWw~

Max and Laki left through the guild doors, with Laki humming under her breath with a grin on her face. 

Max glanced at her, amusement glinting in his eyes. "You're still in a good mood," he stated plainly. 

Laki looked at him. "But of course!" she exclaimed. "It's been a long time since Fairy Tail has been like that!" She sighed. "With everything that's been going on, we've haven't had the chance to just relax and have fun."

Max nodded at that. "True."

They continued on in silence. Max glanced at her again and noticed that her earlier mood had diminished slightly. 

_Well, we can't have that, can we?_

"Hey Laki," he said, "Levy mentioned to me that the bookstore she frequents a lot is having a sale on a book called 'Medieval Torture Theories.'"

She turned to look at him with stars in her eyes and her previous excitement returning. "Really?!" she asked in euphoria. 

Max laughed. "Really."

"Well, what are we waiting for?! Let's go!" Laki grabber Max's hand and dragged him along the street behind her. 

Max chuckled slightly. 

_Mission: make Laki happier? Success. _

~wWw~

The Connell family was walking home, with Asuka riding on her father's shoulders, a big grin on her face. 

"That was so much fun, Tou-san!" she exclaimed. "We should do that _every_ day!"

Alzack chuckled, amused at his daughter's antics. "We'll see," he replied. "What say you, koi?"

Bisca smiled. "I wouldn't mind doin' that more often," she admitted. "S'pecially when everyone's upset over somethin'."

"See! Kaa-chan thinks so too!" Asuka yelled out in glee. 

People walking past them as they walked home, smiled at the little girl, awed by her naivety and overall adorableness. 

Bisca laughed. "Well, kaa-chan thinks that her daughter should get in the bed as soon as we get home," she said. 

Asuka pouted. "Aww, man!" she complained.

Alzack took her off his shoulders to hold her in his arms. "How about as a bedtime story, we'll tell you about a mission Team Natsu went on?" he suggested to her. 

She immediately brightened. "Hai!" she exclaimed. 

The parents chuckled. "Well, let's get to stepping then," Alzack suggested before taking off in a slight run, Asuka's screams of delight echoing down the street. 

Bisca rolled her eyes in amusement before quickly following them. 

~wWw~

Erza was walking to Fairy Hills, deep in thought. 

Even though she doesn't wear her heart on her sleeve like some people, she can be very emotional if the time calls for it. 

She didn't show it at the guild, but she was deeply hurt by what Gray had said to her. 

She knows on an intellectual level that she was irrational about the whole 'Jellal and Lucy thing,' but emotionally, she was perplexed. 

And if she were honest? Sort of jealous. Jellal isn't in the custody of the Magic Council anymore, and she thought that she'd finally get to know the real him. 

But Lucy's with him now instead of her, spending time with him, getting to know him, him getting to know her...

Her latent feelings of jealousy grew. 

She snapped out of her thoughts when she saw Lisanna walking with Elfman. 

She ran up to them. "Lisanna! Wait!" she called out. "I need to talk to you!"

Lisanna stopped walking when she heard Erza's voice and sighed to herself. 

_Why am I not surprised?_

"What is it, Erza?" she asked in resignation. She turned to Elfman. "I'll see you at home, nii-chan."

Elfman nodded, glancing at Erza before continuing his trek down the road. 

"What really happened when you saw Jellal?" Erza asked her. 

Lisanna arched an eyebrow. "You mean when I saw Lucy?" 

Erza flushed scarlet but didn't say anything. 

Lisanna sighed. "I told you all that happened," she said. "I ran into Lucy after she had apparently dispatched some bandits, Jellal showed up asking if she was alright, she showed me where the tiger fell, I talked with Lucy for a bit, and then I left. End of story."

Erza narrowed her eyes at her suspiciously. "Your hiding something," she accused. "Tell me what it is."

"You know what, Erza," Lisanna snapped. "It's kind of pathetic how you're acting right now. You go on about how you're worried about Lucy, but the only question you asked me was about Jellal."

Erza unconsciously stepped back as if slapped, a wide-eyed look on her face. 

"Actually, you're acting just like me," Lisanna continued speaking. "Your jealousy is getting the best of you, and you're lashing out."

Erza's face flushed in shame, and she stared at the ground, unable to look her in the eye. 

Lisanna shook her head and walked away. When she had taken fifteen steps, she paused. "He looked fine," she said softly, but Erza heard her anyway. 

Erza nodded. "Arigatō."

Lisanna didn't say anything but continued walking away towards her house. 

Erza stared after for a minute, before she too walked home. 

~wWw~

"Whoa," Wendy breathed out as she broke the tree line. 

Meredy nodded beside her. "Hai, it looks amazing."

Lucy, Jellal, and Carla walked out behind them and emitted gasps of their own. "It's beautiful," Lucy murmured. 

They were standing at a cliff that overlooked what looked to be a private beach that kissed the water's edge. White sand sparkled in the sun, and the water of the ocean was a blend of blue, green, and even a splash of purple. 

"Well?" Carla said, "let's be going then."

Using her aerial magic, she flew Meredy and Wendy down after she grabbed the back of their shirts. 

Jellal grinned at Lucy. "Let's not keep them waiting."

She smiled at him and willingly went into his arms. He activated 'meteor' and flew them down to land next to the girls. 

"It's so well kept," Wendy said as she looked around. 

"This must be so secluded that not a lot of people come here," Jellal suggested. 

"Hmm, could be," Lucy said.

"So, how are we supposed to get to Tenrou Island from here?" Meredy questioned. 

"Well, I'm planning on summoning Pegasus for Wendy, Carla, and Meredy to ride on, and Jellal can use his meteor spell to fly there," Lucy explained. 

"I might try using my aerial magic," Carla said. 

Lucy nodded. "Okay, that sounds good."

"But what about you, nee-san?" Wendy asked. "How are you going to get there?"

"Well, I think my Aquarius Star Dress would be sufficient enough for this," Lucy decided as she gazed out at the water. "Using all of this magic should help me strengthen it as well."

Jellal mused over Lucy's idea before slowly nodding his head. "The plan seems acceptable," he said. 

Lucy grinned as she took out Pegasus's key. "Alright then! Here we go!"

But before she could summon the winged horse, a whistling sound was heard, startling them. 

"My oh my," a voice drawled. "Look at what we have here."

Jellal, Lucy, Meredy, Wendy, and Carla all turned to see three teenage guys walking down a path that they hadn't noticed. All three of them were wearing nothing but swimming trunks with towels slung over their shoulders. 

But the thing that had the girls shivering in disgust and Jellal narrowing his eyes in a fury was the apparent lust in their eyes as they looked over Meredy and Lucy. 

They finally came to a stop in front of them. The boy in front was eyeing Lucy like a piece of meat. 

Jellal clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles turned white and clearly stood out on the back of his hand. 

_Mustn't. Kill. Idiotic. Stupid. Pretty boy. Wannabes. _

"Well, hello, ladies," the boy in front drawled in what he thought was a sexy voice. "Why don't you two," he said to Lucy and Meredy, "come hang out with my friends and I. I'm sure you'll have such a _fun_ time."

His friends laughed beside him. 

Lucy narrowed her eyes at them. "No, thanks," she said flatly. "We have no desire to be with wimpy, teenage _boys_."

Meredy smirked while Wendy giggled into her hand. Carla merely eyed them in irritation. 

The boy narrowed his eyes at Lucy, obviously annoyed with her response. "Now look here," he said as he stepped toward her, his hand outstretched as if to grab her. 

That was his mistake. 

Before his hand reached her, his wrist was seized in a vice-like grip that guaranteed to bruise his skin. 

Looking at the person gripping his wrist, the boy faltered at the murderous gaze of the eyes that weren't entirely hidden by the blue hair. 

Meredy and Wendy were grinning by now, and Carla was giving off a slight smirk. 

Lucy blushed at how protective Jellal is. 

"If you lay one finger on her," he said in a harsh voice, "I'll kick your ass so hard you'll need a _surgeon_ to remove my _foot_."

The boy was practically pissing in his pants by the time Jellal let him go. 

He scrambled back to his friends. "C'mon, let's get out of here," he said in a terrified voice. His friends didn't argue with him, and they all ran like the hounds of Hell were chasing them. 

When they were gone, Meredy let out a whoop. "Hell yeah!" she yelled out. "Don't piss off a protective Jellal!"

Wendy was wrinkling her nose at the lingering smell of pee in the air. Carla patted her leg in sympathy for her poor nose. 

Lucy, however, pulled Jellal down for a deep kiss that left them both panting as they pulled away. "What was that for?" Jellal asked breathlessly. 

Lucy smiled at him. "Thank you for defending me," she said sincerely. 

Jellal smiled back at her. "Anytime," he said. 

"Not to break up this extremely heartfelt moment," Meredy called out, "but we should probably get moving."

The couple chuckled as they drew apart. 

"Alright, let's try this again," Lucy said as she pulled out the silver key. "Open, Gate of the Winged Horse: Pegasus!" 

The bright light that always accompanies a celestial spirit shone brightly, causing everyone to shut their eyes for a brief moment. 

When they opened them again after the light died down, they were awed by what was before them. 

An elegant white horse with a silver mane and beautiful white-feathered wings stood there. 

Wendy gasped in appreciation. "Konnichiwa," she said softly as she approached Pegasus with a hand outstretched. "May I pet you?"

Pegasus bowed her head in a sign of affirmation. Everyone snapped out of their revere and took this as a cue to approach her. 

"Her mane is so soft," Wendy said in awe. 

"Hai," Meredy said softly as she too ran her fingers threw it. 

"Konnichiwa," Lucy said to her as she stood in front of her head. "My name is Lucy, and I am going to be your new summoner. Is that okay with you?"

Pegasus eyed her for a second before pushing her head into Lucy's waiting hand. 

Lucy smiled. "Arigatō," she said softly. 

Pegasus neighed softly. 

"We need to reach an island out in the ocean," Lucy said to her. "Can you give my friends a ride?"

Pegasus neighed again. 

Lucy smiled. "Arigatō," she repeated. She turned to Meredy and Wendy. "Hop on you guys."

The girls didn't hesitate to obey that particular order. 

When both of them were seated atop Pegasus, Carla closed her eyes and focused her magic so she can transform into her human form. 

After she transformed, it was Lucy's turn. 

She took out Aquarius's key and called out, "Star Dress: Aquarius Form!"

The others looked away as her magic shone brightly. When the light died down, they observed to see how her outfit changed this time. 

She was wearing a bikini top that has a green and yellow zigzag design on it. Frilled, green detachable sleeves that are secured by a yellow ribbon are on her arms. Secured on her hips by another yellow ribbon is a green mini skirt with yellow frills at the end. 

Her hair was down in the back but also up in pigtails held tight by green ribbons. 

Aquarius's zodiac symbol was on her collarbone. 

"Nice," Meredy commented. 

"Hai," Wendy added. "That one is beautiful."

Jellal just smiled at her. "Very beautiful," he commented. He turned to the others. "We should get going."

"Hai," they all replied in unison. Pegasus shot out towards the water, her magnificent wings keeping them in the air, and Carla flew after them after activating her aerial magic. 

Celestial light surrounded Jellal, indicating that he was about to use meteor. 

Lucy grinned at him before running towards the water. As soon as her feet hit the water, she shouted out, "Water Surfer!"

Waves formed under her feet, propelling her forward. She was literally surfing the water without a surfboard. 

Jellal laughed. "That's amazing."

He activated 'meteor' and followed after her. 

~wWw~

Meredy looked around and frowned. "Where's Lucy and Jellal?" she questioned. 

Wendy frowned as well. "I'm not sure," she admitted. 

Carla was keeping pace with Pegasus's speed, still in her human form. Although she was looking kind of tired. 

Carla looked behind her and smirked. "Don't worry," she said. "They're catching up."

"Nani?" they questioned. 

"Look behind you."

They did as she said, and they couldn't help but gasp at what they saw. Lucy was surfing using only water. 

"That. Is. So. Awesome!" Meredy exclaimed. 

"Her Star Dresses really give her a variety of magic," Wendy noted. 

"Seriously," Meredy couldn't help but agree. 

When Lucy caught up to them, she grinned at them and said, "Race you to the island!"

And then she increased her speed and sped away. 

Meredy chuckled. "Oh, it's on!" she shouted. She then turned to Pegasus. "Do you think you can go faster?"

In response to Meredy's question, she increased her speed. 

Carla shook her head in exasperation and looked to Jellal, who was flying next to her. "Children," she muttered to him. 

Jellal smiled at her. "But you wouldn't change them for anything," he stated. 

Carla pursed her lips and didn't respond. Jellal smirked at her knowingly. 

She glanced at him. "We might as well catch up to them."

Jellal nodded. "You're right," he conceded. "Let's go!"

~wWw~

It was half an hour later when everyone reached Tenrou Island, Fairy Tail's sacred ground. 

Lucy and Carla were on the ground panting since they had used up a lot of magic power. 

Jellal had his hands on his knees and was in the process of taking deep breaths. 

Meredy and Wendy were the only ones who weren't tired or exhausted since they haven't used any magic at all. 

"Well," Meredy said as she looked around, "here we are."

"Here we are," Jellal echoed as he too looked around. "It seems peaceful."

"It is," Wendy said softly, remembering how things were before Grimoire Heart and Acnologia attacked. 

"I'm too tired for it now," Lucy said, "but tomorrow, we are going to train and train hard."

"I'm down for that," Meredy said immediately. 

"I'm ready for it," Wendy stated determinedly. 

Carla merely nodded in agreement. 

Jellal held his hand out to Lucy and helped her stand. He grinned. "Bring it on."

Lucy smirked. "Gladly."


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**~Timeskip 8 Weeks~**   
**Location: Tenrou Island**

A young girl was walking quietly and stealthily over the ground, being careful not to step on any branches or dead leaves to avoid making a sound. 

She stopped suddenly, her eyes darting around at the trees and bushes surrounding her, before letting out a quiet sigh. 

However, before she could continue walking, she heard a rustle in the bushes behind her. Without turning around, she leaped into the air as something charged underneath her, whatever it was barely missing her feet. 

The girl landed in a crouch behind it, strands of her lily-white hair moving in front of her face that she hastily pushed behind her ears. 

The thing turned around and revealed itself to be a giant scorpion about a seven to eight feet tall, complete with a massive stinger at the end of its tail. 

Carla narrowed her eyes. 

Without preamble, the thing lunged at her. She quickly dodged it by doing a one-handed cartwheel to the side. It quickly turned around to try leaping at her, but she slid underneath it. 

Carla quickly glanced behind her before running away. 

_For something so big, it moves fast on its feet. _

Another quick glance behind her showed that it was still hot on her tail. **(No pun intended)**

She smirked. 

_Perfect._

She ran up to a big tree before turning around. 

The scorpion was bearing down on her, its stinger raised in preparation to strike her. 

It stabbed down. 

But Carla was no longer there. 

She had moved out of the way fast enough to avoid getting impaled. The stinger was lodged in the tree, keeping the scorpion stuck there, no matter how hard it tried to free its tail. 

Carla activated her aerial magic and flew high into the sky. 

She took a deep breath before saying, "Max Speed!"

She dived down quickly and swiftly towards the scorpion. When she was a few feet from it, she abruptly pulled out of the dive and shouted, "Wind Magic: Wind Blade!"

Exactly what she said, a blade of wind created by her wings, appeared and sliced the scorpion's stinger clean off. 

While distracted by the pain, she quickly took ahold of its tail before she threw it into the air with all of her might. 

Using her wings, she flew so she was above it and performed a dropkick on its head, instantly knocking it unconscious. 

She landed on her feet in front of the downed creature and deactivated her aerial magic. 

She let out a happy sigh and allowed a smile to appear on her lips. 

"My session is done," she said aloud. "I suppose it is time for me to head back."

Without looking back at the creature, Carla turned around and began walking back the way she came. 

~wWw~

In another part of the forest on the island, another girl was waiting quietly in a tree. 

All around her in other trees were giant wasps about three feet long with stingers as big as her hand. 

The girl narrowed her eyes before taking a deep breath. 

She pulled her blue hair back into a ponytail. 

_Time to start this._

Wendy launched herself out of the tree, hit the ground, and began running.

The wasps, seeing a strange being in their territory, immediately began to chase her. 

Wendy kept running and tuned into the air around her. 

She felt the air behind her shift slightly and launched into the air by using wind gathered beneath her feet. She was able to dodge an incoming attack by one of the wasps, but now the whole hive was upon her. 

She settled into her fighting stance after landing back on the ground and closed her eyes, her senses entirely in tune with the air around her. 

_Concentrate. Focus on the shifts. Trust your instincts. _

The air shifted minutely in front of her, and she instantly performed a backflip just in time to feel something fly above her. She felt another shift in the air and dodge to the right, avoiding what she felt was the tip of a stinger. 

On it went for another ten minutes. Wendy dodged every attack the oversized bugs sent at her, all while keeping her eyes shut and sensing the changes and shifts in the air. 

She dodged a final wasp's attack before she decided to go on the offensive. 

Finally opening her eyes, she leaped into the air and started twisted her body around swiftly while holding her arms out. 

"Sky Dragon's Air Vacuum!"

A rotating column of air expanded from Wendy's body and sucked up the wasps before spitting them back out, knocking them to the ground and unconscious. 

Wendy canceled her magic and stood to observe her handiwork. 

She smiled to herself. 

"That went really well!" she exclaimed to herself. "Now that that's done, I should be heading back."

She looked around before getting an 'aha!' expression on her face and quickly made her way down her chosen path. 

~wWw~

Somewhere close by, a girl with pink hair stood in front of a herd of angry boars, with a determined smirk on her face. 

Raising her hand in a way similar to Erza when she summons a weapon, she said confidently, "Maguilty's Sword."

A teal magic blade materialized in the air, and she quickly grabbed it and got into a stance with both hands clutching the handle. 

Meredy grinned over at the obviously pissed of animals. "Bring it."

They apparently understood what she said, and they all began to charge at her at once.

She swung at the one that reached her first, and it fell to the side in pain. The thing about _Maguilty's Sword_ is that it doesn't cut; It targets its victims' nerves. So when Meredy swung her sword, instead of cutting them and/or killing them, the magic sword just focused on the nerves and incapacitated them. 

Each boar that charged at her met with the same fate as the first one. 

She dodged and flipped and spun and blocked as she continued fighting. 

At some point, she had exchanged her _Maguilty Sword_ for _Maguilty's Daggers_. Now she was dual-wielding two blades as she slashed and stabbed at her opponents, the nerves she targeted made each boar whine in pain. 

Finally, after what seemed like a long time to Meredy, the last boar fell, and she was the only one left standing. 

Panting slightly, Meredy couldn't help but grin as she canceled her magic. 

"Yatta!" Meredy yelled as she raised her fist in the air in a victory pose. "I did it! I can't wait to tell them!"

She quickly hurried excitedly back towards where the camp is. 

~wWw~

A blond-haired teen was standing in front of a growling and ferocious-looking bear about eight feet tall with deadly looking claws. 

She touched an oddly shaped golden key that hung on a key ring on her belt and quickly said, "Star Dress: Leo Form."

Her body emitted a glow that only lasted a couple of seconds, and when the light died down, her clothes had changed. 

She now wore an elegant, frilled, black ball gown that had a slit up the left leg and tied with a golden sash that sits around her hips.

A black frill choker was around her neck, and a golden ribbon hung down from the bust of the dress with the Leo Zodiac symbol. 

On her arms were detachable sleeves that stop at the forearms and flares outward. 

The bodice of the dress had a golden trim, and she wore 1-inch black heels on her feet. 

Her hair was done up in a bun with a black flower in it, and two bangs were framing her face. 

On her right breast was the Leo Zodiac symbol. 

Without hesitation, Lucy charged at the overgrown bear. 

It roared at her and did the same. It swiped its claws at her, but she dodged under it. Her right foot shone with the power of Regulus as she twisted and kicked it under its chin. 

The bear roared in pain and frustration before trying to slam its fists on her. She jumped back, crossed her arms over her chest, and fisted her hands. "Lion's Brilliance!"

A bright, golden light suddenly shone from Lucy's body, and the bear roared loudly, shaking its head in apparent confusion and closing its eyes. 

Lucy saw her opportunity to attack. She reared her fist back, and it started shining the same golden color her foot did as she prepared to use Regulus again. 

She launched forward, yelling, "Regulus Impact!"

And then she slammed her fist into the bear's face. 

It fell back on the forest floor, unconscious. 

Slightly panting, Lucy canceled her magic, and her clothes went back to normal. 

"Time to head back," Lucy muttered to herself. 

After carefully stepping around the unconscious animal, she made her way back to camp. 

~wWw~

A blue-haired man was sitting next to a campfire, five fish on sticks roasting over it. He had caught them only minutes before and was now waiting for his comrades to come back.

Jellal sat back on his hands as he thought about the last eight weeks.

The first couple of days after arriving at Tenrou Island was spent strengthening their magic cores and exercising their control over it. 

The rest of the time up until now was practicing how to use it. Just because you have a lot of magic power doesn't mean you automatically know how to control it. 

Carla can now stay in her human form for a whole day and perhaps longer if she chose to. In addition to having more control over her aerial magic, the wind that gets generated from it has given her a slight control over wind magic as well. 

Wendy can now use her magic in a more controlled form. Air magic is similar to wind magic, as in they are both wild and overwhelming, but Wendy has trained enough that she now can use precise attacks if she wishes to. For example, she can control her Sky Dragon's Roar up to a point where it's only a narrow column of air but can still have the same power it would have if it was as it usually is. 

Her healing magic has gotten more impressive too. She can now heal more severe injuries, something they had found out after Meredy was ambushed by one of the more ferocious animals here after she went exploring. 

She can even tap into her dragon force, even if she can only keep it going for ten minutes. 

Jellal remembered how Wendy looked when she had first used it. Her eyes turned pink along with her hair, which grew slightly longer and sort of spiky. 

White scales that Wendy says resembles the ones Grandeeney had sprung out of her back, and smaller ones appeared on her wrists and ankles. 

Everyone was in complete awe over her transformation, especially Meredy, who said that she 'looked so badass.' 

Speaking of Meredy, her magic has improved as well. Not only can she keep up her regular attacks for more extended periods and can do it more often, but she was also able to make her magic materialize into physical weapons that she uses herself. When she wants to use her hands instead of just sending out her magic to attack, she uses a sword and twin daggers. 

Since Jellal himself is so powerful that he was named a Wizard Saint when he went as Siegrain, he hadn't need to do as much as the others. He worked on controlling his magic better and expanding his magic core, but that was pretty much it. 

And then there was Lucy. 

Jellal's face took on a serene and blissful look as he thought about the girl he was in a relationship with for the past two months. 

Lucy had improved as significantly as the others have. 

She's finally able to use all of her spirits' Star Dresses and the spells she used while utilizing a Star Dress. 

She also can change between her Star Dresses almost instantly, similar to Erza's requip magic. What she does is memorize each of her keys' different magic signatures and activates it silently. She's done this so much that it's come as naturally to her as breathing. 

Because of the different variety of magic from her spirits and the efficiency in which she uses them, Jellal can guess that she must rank somewhere between an A-rank and an S-rank wizard. 

_I'm so proud of her – of all of them, really. _

Jellal reminisced for a moment longer before he took the fish off the fire for the others to eat. It was a few minutes before he sensed someone's magical signature. 

To be more precise, it was Lucy's. 

He turned in the direction of where it was coming from, and he saw her. She'd let her hair grow out and, even with the ponytail at the back of her head, it reached her waist at her back. Two chin-length bangs were framing her face, and her arms and legs were showing muscle, but not overly so. 

But she still had the same loving smile that she always wore whenever she looked at him. 

He opened his arms, and she walked swiftly into them. He buried his face in her neck while she had her hands clutching his back, and they simply breathed in each other's presence. 

Lucy sighed slightly as she pulled away to look at his face. 

He grinned down at her and pressed a swift but sweet kiss to her mouth. 

She smiled as he pulled away. "Hi," she said in a breathless voice, something she seemed to only have around him. 

Jellal gazed down at her with adoration plainly written on his face and in his smile. "Hi," he replied. "How was it?"

"It went fine," Lucy said. 

Every day for the past month, everyone, sometimes minus Jellal, would venture into the parts of the island that had the more dangerous and ferocious animals to fight against, both to train their battle reflexes and to train their magic prowess. 

As Meredy had said, 'There's nothing like having a bunch of snarling monsters on your ass to kick your instincts of fight or flight into gear.'

"Where's everyone else?" Lucy asked as they both sat down. 

Jellal shrugged. "I'm not sure; you're the first to get back."

Lucy hummed in acknowledgment as she leaned against him. Jellal wrapped an arm around her shoulders and dropped a kiss to her forehead. 

When they got to Tenrou Island, Lucy, Wendy, and Carla had led the other two to where the members of Fairy Tail had stayed during the S-class exams. It was a small clearing that was close enough to the water, so they had a source of food. 

Both Lucy and Jellal sat up straight when they sensed someone's magical signature approaching them. Turning to look in the direction where it was coming from, they saw that it was merely Carla.

Carla's overall appearance in her human form hasn't changed since its basically a transformation. She has maybe gotten a couple of inches taller to represent her age and growth, but that's pretty much it. 

Her attitude has changed, as well. Although she still retains her mature air and mother-hens Wendy and sometimes Meredy, she has loosened up slightly and treats everyone like family. 

"Hello," she said as she finally reached them. 

"Hi, Carla," Lucy said with a smile. "Are you okay?"

"I am fine," she replied. "How about you? How did everything go?"

"Hai, it went fine."

"Well, that's good," she said as she finally sat down. "Wendy and Meredy are not back yet?"

Jellal shook his head. "No, not yet," he admitted. "But they should be here soon."

"Who should be here soon?"

Lucy, Jellal, and Carla looked over at the new voice and saw it was Meredy. 

"You and Wendy actually," Lucy answered her question. 

"Oh."

Meredy, like Carla, hadn't really changed that much regarding appearances. The only outward appearances you can see were slight muscles on her arms in legs, showing off her newly gained athletic prowess. She does have a scar on her arm from when she was ambushed, though she thinks it looks cool. 

Her attitude hasn't changed much either, except that she's now more confident and comfortable around everyone. 

"Wendy's not back yet?" Meredy asked as she too sat down by the campfire. 

"No," Lucy replied. "She'll be here soon though, that girl is a powerhouse."

"True," Jellal and Meredy said in unison.

"Nee-chan! Nii-san!"

Once again, everyone turned to see who it was, although there was only one person it could be. 

Wendy was running up to them, her blue hair flying behind her. When she reached everyone, she crashed into Lucy and Jellal to give them both a hug. 

They both laughed. "Hello to you too, imouto," Lucy said, returning the hug, along with Jellal. 

Out of everyone, Wendy has changed the most. Although she still had a little bit of her naivety, she lost her hesitation when it comes to fighting. 

And when she wants to be, she can be quite fierce. Just like her dragon mother. 

She has also taken to calling Jellal her 'nii-san.' He didn't mind since he sees her as his younger sister, along with Meredy. 

Wendy giggled as she pulled back. "My session went really well!" she told them. 

"Excellent," Lucy said. She turned to everybody else. "We've all improved greatly, and if we keep this up, we'll all become powerful."

"I say we're powerful already," Meredy said with a smile, "but there's no harm in getting better."

"And applying what you learned in an actual fight helps you improve impressively," Carla interjected. "Even if it is against wild animals." She added wryly with a slight smile. 

They all laughed at that. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger," Jellal quoted with a smile. 

Meredy shook her head with a grin. "Nah, I prefer 'what doesn't kill me better run because now I'm pissed,'" she said sagely. 

Everyone burst out laughing at that. 

"Alright, alright," Jellal said as he got his laughter under control, "we should probably eat now."

"Yatta!" Meredy cheered. 

Everyone smiled. 

_Everything is peaceful. _

~wWw~

It's been at least two months since Lucy, Wendy, and Carla temporarily left the guild, and things were finally back to normal at Fairy Tail. 

Well, as usual as the guild could be. 

Levy, Jet, and Droy (and most of the time, Gajeel too) continued to go on missions together, and Levy even found a cool book for Lucy to read when she comes back. 

The Thunder Legion continued as they always did, with Freed always praising his great 'Laxus-sama,' Bixlow still talking to his 'babies,' Evergreen still strutting around like she owned the place, and Laxus being his quiet but intimidating self. 

Max and Laki took missions together, leading Mira to think that they're dating. 

And speaking of Mira, she's still Fairy Tail's barmaid, but she does occasionally go out to train. Elfman has been spending a suspicious amount of time with Evergreen, causing mostly every guild member to have knowing smirks on their faces when the two are mentioned. 

Everyone has mostly forgiven Lisanna for her outburst, realizing that she was just jealous of Lucy and the time she spends with everyone. However, Natsu and Happy, Gray, and Levy are still careful around her. 

Juvia was officially dating Lyon, which caused squeals of epic proportions from the girls of the guild and an impromptu sleepover to grill her for information. 

Under mutual agreement from everybody, Team Natsu had disbanded until the three girls came back home. 

Natsu and Happy have mostly done jobs alone, but sometimes Romeo tagged along as well. 

Gray, like Natsu and Happy, has been doing things alone when it comes to missions. When the job requires more than one person, though, he always chose Cana to go with him. 

However, there is one person that hadn't gotten back to normal. 

That person was Erza Scarlet. 

Her attitude had taken a turn for the worst, and she had become extremely moody, making her seem even more scary than usual. 

Every time there was a job asking for help in or around Crocus, she immediately took it. Everyone knew it so she can maybe find information about Jellal. 

They don't even pretend to think it's for her missing teammates anymore. They all knew she wants to find Jellal the most so she can question him. 

However, little did she and everyone else know that she was about to get her chance. Just not in a way that they will expect. 


	20. Chapter Twenty

A man was sitting on a throne-like chair on a slightly raised platform, a smirk of satisfaction on his face. 

A woman was standing to his right with a slightly insane grin on her own face as she looked at the floor below them. 

There were three people there, on their knees in submission and sporting furious yet frightful expressions as they glared up at the two people above them. 

One of them was a man who's known as Defense Minister Darton. 

The other man is known as Colonel Arcadios, Chief of the Cherry Blossom Holy Knight Squadron. 

And finally, in between the two men, was a man named Toma E. Fiore, the king who rules over the kingdom. 

Strangely enough, even though there wasn't anyone behind them, they haven't made any attempts to run away. In fact, despite the rage and humiliation in their postures, they haven't even made a move to get up. 

The man on the chair raised on eyebrow at their expressions. "What?" he asked in a nonchalant tone. "What did I do to warrant those looks you're giving me?"

The woman next to him cackled in amusement as the three men's glares harshened. 

"Now," he said as he turned his attention to the king, "I need you to answer my question."

"Why would I do anything to help you?!" Toma snarled. "You are an enemy to Fiore! You need to be thrown in jail or put down like the rabid animal you are!"

The man glared at him hatefully. He turned towards the woman who was kneeling to his left with green hair before he gripped her neck. 

He squeezed as she gasped for air and clawed at his hand. 

"No - wait!" Toma cried out. "Please! Don't hurt my daughter, I beg of you!"

Hisui E. Fiore was turning slightly blue due to a lack of air. 

"Stop it!" Arcadios yelled out as he watched his princess struggle to breathe. 

"Alright!" Toma said desperately, "Alright! I'll answer any questions you have! Please, just let her go!"

The man smirked. "But of course, your majesty," he said mockingly as he let the princess go. 

Hisui gasped for air as she hit the ground, her vision blurry as tears streamed down her face in anger, fear, and humiliation. 

"What is your question?" Toma bit out through gritted teeth. 

"The Magic Council is in charge of things concerning the guilds, correct?"

Toma frowned. "Yes," he admitted, "but that is common knowledge. Why did you need me to answer that?"

"My question has a part two," the man said with an eye roll. 

Darton's glare at the man for his blatant disrespect of his king worsened. 

"Keep your anger in check, little pest," the woman said as she looked at him. "I won't hesitate to inflict wounds upon you to cause the utmost pain."

Darton flinched and dropped his gaze to the ground, knowing just exactly what the psycho lady in front of him can do. 

"Ask your other question," Arcadios snapped. 

The woman glared and made to move towards him, but the man next to her held up a hand. 

"No need to cause unnecessary bloodshed Tsubaki," the man said to the newly named Tsubaki. "I will let it slide this once."

Tsubaki frowned but nodded nonetheless. "As you wish, Enzo."

The man, Enzo, turned to look back at the king. "The Magic Council is in charge of the guilds, that is true. However, isn't it also true that after the fall of the old council, the new one that is created answers directly to you? And that you can use their Rune Knights if you had a valid reason?"

Toma didn't reply, too stunned to form words. This, of course, had the effect of irritating Enzo. 

He backhanded Hisui, causing her to cry out in shock as she fell back...but she mostly felt pain. 

Toma gasped. "No, _please_\- "

"Is. It. True?!" Enzo bellowed. 

"Yes!" Toma sobbed. "It's true! Now, _please_! Please don't hurt her!"

Enzo made a 'tch' sound before he picked Hisui up again by her neck. Before her father can protest the abuse his daughter was going through, Enzo roughly threw her towards the Colonel, who caught her instantly. 

"Princess!" Arcadios called out as he looked his lady over for any injuries. 

"Tsubaki," Enzo looked to her. "Please escort the Colonel, the princess, and the defense minister back to their cell. Toma shall stay with me."

Tsubaki plastered on another of her crazy grins. "But of course," she nearly purred. 

Hisui's face went pale before she fainted.

Arcadios and Darton didn't look much better. 

"I do hope you two won't try anything," Enzo said in a way that sounded nonchalant but was actually a warning. "I don't think I need to demonstrate _again_ what happens if you cross me."

With that sentence hanging in the air, Tsubaki escorted Arcadios, Darton, and the unconscious princess to the dungeon cells. 

Now, it was just Toma and Enzo. 

"What do you want from me?" Toma demanded harshly. 

Enzo's face gained a sadistic smile. "You are going to contact the Magic Council."

Toma stared at him warily. "And say what?"

If possible, Enzo's smile became even more sadistic. A sinister laugh escaped his lips as he got up to walk towards the downed king. 

"Don't worry," he said with darkness practically _radiating_ from his aura. "I'll tell you what to say."

~wWw~

"Aw, man! I almost had it!" Romeo called out. 

Natsu grinned. "Maybe," he said with a shrug. 

The two of them were outside and behind the Fairy Tail guildhall. Ever since the temporary disbandment of Team Natsu, the Fire Dragon Slayer and his exceed have been spending most of their time helping Romeo out with his fire magic. 

Not that Romeo was complaining. After all, it was more time with his 'nii-san.'

"Let me do it one more time, Natsu-nii," Romeo pleaded. 

Natsu sighed. "Alright," he said resignedly. Romeo had, unfortunately, picked up Natsu's stubbornness. 

Romeo took a deep breath before launching himself skyward. Flipping forward, he brought his fire-coated leg around in an arc, causing an arc of fire to fling out towards Natsu. 

He dodged it. 

"Nice Romeo," Natsu said. "You're getting better."

"Aye, sir!" Happy said from the sidelines.

He grinned at both of them, happiness practically coming off him in waves. His gaze shifted to the guild, and his grin faded. 

"Hey, guys?" he said timidly. "Do you think things will be okay?"

Natsu and Happy exchanged looks, knowing precisely what the young fire mage was talking about. 

It's been about two months since Lucy, Wendy, and Carla left the guild, and things were slowly getting back to normal. 

Of course, there would be times when situations came up that reminded them of their missing friends. 

Like when Levy got a new book that she's been waiting for, but hadn't had the opportunity to share the experience with Lucy, her best friend, and fellow bookworm. There had seemed to be a dark cloud that hung around her for the remainder of that day. 

Or when Mirajane was bandaging some guild members after a bar fight, and she remembered all the times she and Wendy would talk while they took care of everyone. 

Or even when Happy got into one of his 'fish is the world's best delicacy' speeches and Lily would think back to all the times Carla was able to shut him up. 

But it seems that not everyone was in the mood to move on. 

Erza has become even scarier than memory told them she could be. 

And they've seen her in _plenty_ of scary situations. 

Because of her new attitude, everyone has been mostly avoiding her. 

Even Laxus finds her actions to be highly intolerable. And coming from the guy that tried to take over the guild seven years ago, that was saying something.

"I don't know," Natsu answered truthfully. 

"Is Erza really acting like that because Jellal is traveling with Lucy?"

Natsu shrugged. "I guess. I mean, she and Jellal went through some tough shit together, and I guess that type of thing bonds people on a deep level. And she's probably upset that Lucy gets to spend all this time with him instead of her."

Romeo looked between him and Happy. "So, the whole reason she's acting like a demon straight from the pit of hell...is because she's _jealous_?" he asked incredulously. 

"Aye, sir!" Happy commented. 

"Wow," Romeo said after a moment. "I'm starting to see why my dad drinks."

~wWw~

Erza was walking through town towards the train station. 

She was able to snag a paper off of the job board that would take her towards Crocus. 

She wasn't paying attention to where she was walking, so she ended up bumping into a lot of people. 

The people who did manage to see her coming steered clear. 

It was apparent that Magnolia's Titania wasn't her usual self. Her hair was frazzled, her eyes looked like they had bags underneath them, and her whole body was tense. 

She bumped into someone again, but this time it was someone who knew her personally. 

"Erza!"

Erza focused her eyes and saw Mirajane in front of her, along with Lisanna and Elfman. It appears that they were on their way to the guild from another job. 

"Mira," Erza answered her cry with a curt nod. She turned so she could walk around them, but Mira grabbed her wrist. 

"We need to talk."

Erza looked back at her to tell her exactly where she can shove that statement, but the look in her eye stopped her. 

This wasn't the kind and loving Mira. Right now, she was Demon Mira, the takeover mage who could kick anyone's ass if she wanted to. 

Erza nodded slowly. "Alright."

Mira nodded and turned to her siblings. "I'll see you guys at the guild."

"Okay, nee-san," Lisanna said. She started pushing Elfman, who seemed to hesitate, towards the guild. 

Mira could have sworn she heard, _"It's not manly to leave our big sister alone with a demon!"_ but she could have just been imagining things. 

Without waiting for Erza to speak, Mira dragged her off to the side away from prying eyes and ears. 

Letting go of her wrist, she said, "Alright, spill it. What the hell is going on with you?"

Erza narrowed her eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Bullshit!" Mira hissed. "You know exactly what I am talking about!"

Erza remained silent, her mouth setting into a thin line. 

"Fine, I'll talk," Mira snarled. "I know that you're upset about finding out Lucy, Wendy, and Carla are with Jellal and Meredy, but you're mainly upset that Lucy and Jellal are spending time together."

Erza looked furious. "You-" she started saying, but Mira cut her off. 

"Shut up, I'm the one talking now." Mira snapped. "You're upset that it's not _you_ who's spending time with Jellal, you're upset that _you_ don't get to see him and Lucy does, you're upset _you_ aren't getting close to him, you're upset that it's _Lucy_ who gets to be with Jellal, and not _you_."

Erza snarled and lashed out with a punch. But her anger made her sloppy, and Mira quickly caught her fist. 

"You need a serious reality check," Mira snarled. "You should be happy that your friend is getting help from a powerful mage. You should be happy that she's trying to get stronger to protect us. You should be happy that she's doing something that she chose for ourselves. But no, because to you, she just has something that you want. You need to take a step back and think. You need to take a look in the mirror to see what..._person_, you're starting to become because I can guarantee you that if you keep acting like this to us, to your _Nakama_, you'll look around one day and realize that no one is behind you. Get it together, Scarlet!"

With that, Mirajane walked away, leaving a shocked and pensive redhead behind her. 

~wWw~

Lucy gulped in vast amounts of air after she resurfaced from the ocean. 

Today was kind of an 'off' day. Wendy, Carla, and Meredy decided to go exploring some more, promising that they'll be extra careful. 

And Lucy and Jellal decided to go swimming and maybe get to see more of the aquatic animals that live around the island. 

They haven't gone far, only about a hundred yards from the island. They've just dove deep enough to see a pod of fish before Lucy came back up for air. 

A splash behind her indicated that Jellal resurfaced too. 

"That was amazing!" he said as she turned to face him. His grin was wide and excited. 

Lucy couldn't keep the answering grin off her face. "It truly was," she answered. "Although, I did hope to see some dolphins out here."

"Well, we still have some time," Jellal said as he took her hand. 

He kissed the back of it, and then he kissed her before pulling back to say, "C'mon, let's keep diving."

And so they did. 

The rest of their afternoon was spent in the water looking at the animals. Before they went back, they ran into a couple of dolphins that were a pale shade of pink, much to Lucy's joy. 

Needless to say, they were both happy by the time they got back to their camp. Lucy quickly summoned Virgo so she and Jellal can change into some dry clothes. It was around that time that the girls got back. 

Meredy was the first to spot them and waved at them. "Hey guys, how'd the swim thing go?"

"It was fun!" Lucy replied excitedly. "We even saw some dolphins!"

Wendy let out a gasp. "Aww, really?" she asked with stars in her eyes. "I wish I could've seen them!"

"I'll take you tomorrow," Lucy offered. Wendy merely grinned excitedly in response. 

"It's getting late," Carla noted as she looked towards the sky. "We'd better get ready to get some sleep."

She let her transformation drop so that she was in her original exceed form. 

Lucy nodded at her. "Good idea."

"Can I sing something before we go to bed?" Meredy asked. 

Lucy smiled and let out a laugh. "Sure."

Meredy, Wendy, and sometimes Carla have begun singing a lot, a habit they picked up from Lucy. And sometimes, like now, they'd ask to sing something before they go to bed. 

"What song are you going to sing?" Jellal asked as he wrapped an arm around Lucy's shoulders and allowed her to rest her head on his. 

"Actually, Ultear sang this to me when I was younger," Meredy admitted. 

That got everyone's attention. 

"Then go ahead, Meredy," Lucy said softly. 

Staring into the light of the fire they had made earlier, Meredy lost herself in memories as she started singing. 

"Futatsu boshi wa matataku  
Yume no tochuu de  
KATTOAUTO sa 

"Kanashii yume miteta you na  
Naze darou ka,  
Omoidasenakute

"Fukaku ikio   
Suikonda nara  
Saa, ikanakya teki ga matteru."

As she sang, a few tears dropped from Meredy's eyes, but her voice didn't waver. Seeing that she wasn't faltering or giving in to the sadness, Jellal didn't interrupt her. 

"Nee, kimi wa doko ni iru no?  
Kizutsuite mo soredemo ii

"Hikari no ya o hanate   
Kono me wa ima teki o  
Toraeta

"Shikabane o  
Koeru no sa  
VARUKIRII

"Mou nido o  
Aenaku naru no nara

"Kono mide   
Batsu mo ukeyou  
Saa kenotore

"I'm still alive so wake up  
Senjou e."

Meredy looked at everyone and saw smiles on their faces. 

"That was beautiful, Meredy," Lucy said. 

"Hai," Wendy said in agreement. 

"The way you sang it was amazing," Jellal imputed. 

"Yes," Carla nodded. "It certainly was."

Meredy blushed. "Arigatō," she said softly. 

Lucy yawned and smiled. "Alright, Minna," she said, "it's time for us to go to bed."

"Alright," Wendy said as she glanced at the sky. The sun was dipping below the horizon. If they wanted to get up early, they should sleep now. 

One by one, they all laid down and drifted off to sleep until the only ones awake were Jellal and Lucy. 

"I'm proud of her," Jellal said as he stared at Meredy. "This was a big step in her overcoming Ultear's death."

Lucy nodded as she too looked over at the young girl. "We'll all be there for her," she said. 

Jellal looked to her for a moment before pressing a lingering kiss to her lips. 

"What was that for?" Lucy asked with a smile and a blush on her face. 

"For just being you," he said simply. 

Lucy chuckled and laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. 

Sleep soon came for both of them after that. 

~wWw~

It was early in the morning on Tenrou Island. Birds were chirping, the wind was lightly blowing, and what little of the sun that was up was shining threw the trees. 

The five human occupants of the island were all peacefully asleep, with not a care on the world. 

Well, they used to be. 

Carla bolted straight up from her sleep. 

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Meredy sang is actually an opening for an anime show I watched called Twin Star Exorcists. I personally like it so you might want to check it out. I just thought you guys would like to know.


	21. Chapter Twenty-One

Wendy bolted up from her position on the ground after the sound of her friend's scream ripped her from her dream world.   
  
Her body was tense as she glanced around to analyze the threat. But there wasn't one.   
  
Now confused, Wendy turned to face Carla and was shocked by the tears streaming down her cheeks from her very wide and unseeing eyes.   
  
When Meredy heard Carla scream, she too bolted up from her position on the ground, a Maguilty Sword automatically formed in her hand as she gazed around them.   
  
Seeing nothing dangerous or menacing anywhere near them, she turned to question the exceed on the reason why she screamed but halted at the obviously terrified look on her tear-streaked face.   
  
When Jellal and Lucy were both startled out of their sleep by their friend's scream, their bodies acted unconsciously to a potential threat.   
  
Jellal had quickly placed himself in front of Lucy, golden light surrounding his body as he prepared to defend against an unknown enemy.   
  
Lucy had instinctively transformed into her Capricorn Star Dress and glanced around wide-eyed, searching for the cause of her friend's distress.   
  
When both of them saw and sensed nothing dangerous, they turned to Carla in hopes of asking what happened but stopped when they saw her face.   
  
She looked **terrified**.  
  
Wendy was the first to break the silence. "Carla?" she asked quietly as she tentatively approached the exceed. "Are you okay?"  
  
Carla didn't answer her; it was like she didn't even hear her friend speak. Even though her eyes were open, she seemed to be lost in her thoughts about...something.   
  
Wendy hesitated before she slowly reached out and brought Carla to her in a hug.   
  
However, as soon as Carla was embraced, she seemed to snap out of her shock.   
  
She sucked in a huge breath and started rapidly blinking her eyes. She looked around and was surprised to see Wendy holding her and Meredy, Lucy, and Jellal staring at her in worry.   
  
"Wendy? Guys, what's going on?"  
  
Lucy let out a sigh and came out from behind Jellal to approach the two girls, the other two not far behind her. "That's what we were going to ask you," she said.   
  
"Why did you scream?" Meredy asked.   
  
Carla furrowed her brow in confusion. "I screamed?" she asked in bewilderment.   
  
"Hai, you did," Meredy answered her.   
  
Carla frowned.   
  
"Try thinking back," Lucy suggested. "Try to think about what could've caused you to react in the way that you did."  
  
Carla nodded her head and closed her eyes.   
  
_Last night, we were getting ready to go to bed but Meredy wanted to sing a song that Ultear used to sing to her. Afterward, we all started falling asleep. I started dreaming about Edolas for some reason but then...my dream shifted. _  
  
Carla's eyes shot open in alarm.  
  
"I...I remember," she said quietly.   
  
Everyone's eyes widened at her declaration.   
  
Carla extracted herself from Wendy's hug and moved to sit opposite them, transforming into her human form as she went.   
  
She took a deep breath, and then said, "I think I had a premonition."  
  
Wendy and Lucy gasped in shock while Meredy and Jellal frowned in confusion.   
  
"You get premonitions?" Meredy asked.   
  
"I used to," Carla admitted. "I inherited it from my mother, but I haven't been able to use it since being trapped on Tenrou Island for all those years. I've only gotten one vision after that."  
  
"And what was it about?" Jellal asked curiously.   
  
Carla's posture seemed to slouch slightly. "It was about the eclipse plan and the dragons," she said softly.   
  
Jellal stiffened as the memories of that night flooded his mind. Especially the one where he found Future Lucy's dead body.   
  
"-ellal? Jellal?"   
  
Lucy voice broke through the haze that settled on his mind and he looked up to see Lucy, Meredy, Wendy, and Carla staring at him in concern.   
  
"Are you alright?" she asked.   
  
Jellal nodded while wrapping an arm around Lucy’s shoulders. "I'll be fine," he said with a slight smile.   
  
_She's here now. Not dead in the castle hallway. She's here, warm and alive, right next to me._  
  
Lucy didn't look convinced but didn't push the matter either.   
  
She turned back to Carla. "What did you see in your vision, Carla?"  
  
"Well, it was mostly flashes," she admitted. "I couldn't glimpse most of them, but what I did see was...disturbing."  
  
"Disturbing? Disturbing how?" Meredy asked.   
  
"I saw members of Fairy Tail," Carla said.   
  
Ignoring their inhales of shock for a moment, she continued speaking. "I saw some of them being taken by the Rune Knights; I saw some of them being locked up in cells; and I saw weird runes on their bodies."  
  
Wendy looked pale. "Oh my Kami-sama," she whispered. She looked like she was going to hurl.   
  
"That's not all," Carla grimaced.   
  
"There's more?!" Meredy asked horrified.   
  
"It wasn't just Fairy Tail, it was every light guild."  
  
"All of them?" Jellal asked hoarsely. Lucy was gripping his hand, terror clear in her eyes.   
  
"All of them," Carla acknowledged. "I saw Lamia Scale's guild mark on someone, Mermaid Heel's, Quatro Cerberus', Blue Pegasus', and even Sabertooth's guild mark. And they all had the same rune mark on their bodies that I saw on the Fairy Tail members."  
  
It was silent for a moment as everyone thought about what Carla said.   
  
It was a while before one of them spoke up to break the silence.   
  
"So everyone who's a part of a light guild is getting round up by the Rune Knights," Lucy stated. She looked at Carla. "Did you see who could be behind all of this?"  
  
Carla pursed her lips in thought. "Well maybe," she said after a moment, "I saw a man I've never seen before in a room."  
  
"A man?" Jellal spoke up, his mind whirling. "What did he look like?"  
  
"I don't remember exactly," she said quietly. "The only thing I can recall clearly is his eyes."  
  
"His eyes?" Wendy said, a confused frown on her face. "Why his eyes?"  
  
"They were a dark red," Carla said, a shiver going down her back causing her to shudder visibly. "They were the color of blood. And you can tell just by seeing all the violence in those eyes, that he can and will take you down."  
  
Lucy cuddled closer to Jellal, an icy feeling going down her spine.   
  
_Kami-sama, that sounds terrifying. I hope I never meet him in my life. _  
  
"Ano, do you know when these...events, will happen?" Meredy asked.   
  
Carla shook her head. "I don't have a clue. It could happen tomorrow, it could happen next week or month or even year. It could even happen today."  
  
Lucy nodded her head in understanding. "Then we need to go check on them."  
  
"Nani?" Everyone turned to look at her.   
  
"It's like Carla said, the things she saw could happen any day now," Lucy explained. "We should at least check to see if Fairy Tail is okay, but from a distance. If everything seems okay then I'll send Aquila to Master with a message."  
  
"I guess that makes sense," Wendy said after a moment.  
  
"It _is_ the responsible thing to do I guess," Jellal admitted with a grumble. It was obvious to them that he didn't want to go anywhere near Fairy Tail though.   
  
"Well, if we _are_ going to go, we should go now," Meredy said as she stared up at the sky. "It's going to take a while to get there."  
  
Lucy nodded. "She's right. And plus, we'd have to travel to the Hargeon Port because Magnolia isn't butting up against the ocean. We’d have to travel on a train to reach it."  
  
Jellal stood up. "Alright, so here's the plan,” he said after a moment of thought. “Lucy, you summon Pegasus again so Wendy and Meredy can cross the ocean. You, me, and Carla can use our magic to get across. Once we get there, we'll take the train to Magnolia and arrive at Fairy Tail. If everything looks fine then we'll come back. If we see things from Carla's vision–"  
  
"We intervene," Lucy cut in as she too stood up.   
  
Jellal nodded grimly. "Hai, we intervene."  
  
Lucy smiled at him before summoning Virgo to have her get hooded-cloaks for Meredy and Jellal to wear so no one recognizes them.   
  
Meredy and Wendy were chatting about attacks they'd use if Carla's vision was indeed happening today.   
  
Carla, however, was quiet. Because she didn't tell them everything she saw. What she didn't tell them was...scary, for lack of a better word.   
  
She saw Lucy.   
  
And she saw a lot of blood.   
  
The same shade as the man's eyes.   
  
~wWw~  
  
Levy let out a yawn as she turned a page of her book.   
  
Today was a slow day in the guild with not a lot of job requests on the board, so everyone was inside the guild.   
  
They were either brawling, drinking, eating, chatting, or just reading.   
  
...Okay, it was only Levy who was reading. But are you _really _surprised by it?  
  
When the brawling got too close to her for comfort, she got up (**read: dodged out the way of fists**) and went over to the bar where Mira was.   
  
"Konnichiwa, Mira," she said as she sat down.   
  
"Konnichiwa, Levy," Mira said brightly. "Can I get you anything?"  
  
Levy shook her head. "Nah, I just came to get away from the heathens," she said while jabbing her thumb over her shoulder.   
  
Mira laughed. "Aa, they do seem to want to get rid of some pent up energy."  
  
"Then why don't they just take a job?"  
  
"I'm afraid that there isn't anything available that would satisfy them," Mira answered.   
  
Levy sighed. "If it's to get out of this temporary nuthouse then I'd even take a babysitting job."  
  
Mira tapped her lips with her finger in a thinking motion. "Well," she said slowly. "If I remember correctly, I think there_ is_ a decoder job but it only pays 5,000j."  
  
"I'll do it," Levy said decisively. She stood up, walked over to the request board, grabbed the paper with the job description, and walked back over to Mira so she can log the job as taken.   
  
"Alright then," Mira smiled. "Have fun with your job, Levy."   
  
"I intend to Mira," she called over her should as she tried to run out the guild.   
  
Key word was **tried**.   
  
As soon as Levy got to the guild's open doors, she ran smack dab into an invisible barrier.   
  
"AH!" Levy cried out in pain as she fell backward, clutching her nose.   
  
"Levy!"  
  
"Shrimp!"  
  
Gajeel, Mira, Erza, and Gray ran to her while the rest of the guild looked on in worry.   
  
Gajeel, who was the first to reach her, knelt down at her side. "What happened Levy?!" he demanded harshly. But his hands were gentle when he moved her hands away from her face to see if she was alright.   
  
Levy winced when Gray, who also knelt by her side, prodded at her nose. "I don't think it's broken," he said.   
  
He conjured up some ice and wrapped it in a cloth Mira has brought. "Here, press this against your nose."  
  
Levy grabbed the make-shift ice pack from him and took Erza's outstretched hand to pull herself up. "Are you okay?" Erza asked worriedly.   
  
"Hai, I think so," she answered.   
  
"Levy, what the hell happened?" Gajeel asked again.   
  
"I think there's some kind of barrier there," she said, pointing towards where she ran into it. "I didn't see it so I ended up smashing against it."  
  
"A barrier?" More questioned.   
  
Gajeel walked towards the entrance and reached out a hand. It collided against something.   
  
"The shrimp's right," he called to everyone. "There's somethin' here."  
  
"Can you get through it?" Someone called out.   
  
Gajeel backed up a few feet before running at it. "Iron Dragon Club!" he swung at it.   
  
It didn't break.   
  
"Iron Dragon Roar!" he called out his breath attack.   
  
It didn't break it either.   
  
"Stand aside metal head," Natsu said as he walked up. "I got this."  
  
"Aye!" Happy said.   
  
"Fire Dragon Roar!"  
  
Natsu launched his version of a dragon's roar at the barrier.   
  
It was still intact when the attack ended.   
  
"Really? Not even Natsu's attack could get through," Mira said thoughtfully.   
  
"Happy, Lily, come with me," Levy said as she started walking away. "We'll go check the other entrances and exits of the guild. The rest of you see if you can get through."  
  
Erza nodded her head. "Understood. Everyone, let's go!"  
  
"Aye, sir!  
  
And so they did.   
  
Every member launched an attack of their own at the barrier but nothing worked. Even Master's attacks weren't working against it. Levy came back after a while and reported that she and the Exceeds couldn't get out the other doors and that even the windows had a barrier.   
  
"So we're just stuck here?!" Natsu exclaimed in distress after everyone tired themselves out.   
  
"No Natsu, we're not stuck," Master said patiently. "I'll just use the communication lacrima in my office to contact the Magic Council."  
  
"That won't be necessary," an unknown voice called out.   
  
Everyone turned towards where the voice came from and saw a man dressed in the Rune Knight uniform standing just beyond the guild's entrance. Behind him were dozens upon dozens of other men dressed like him.   
  
"Wow you guys are fast," Natsu commented. "How'd you know we would need your help?"  
  
"My men and I haven't come to 'help' you wizard-san," the man replied. "We've come to arrest you."  
  
There was a moment of silence.   
  
Then—  
  
**"WHAT?!"**  
  
"Why are you arresting us?!" Makarov asked furiously. "We've done nothing wrong!"  
  
"I'm just following orders Makarov-san," the Rune Knight said. There was a slightly apologetic note in his voice but his face remained blank.   
  
"Well, we won't go without a fight!" Gray shouted out as he got into his stance.   
  
"Hai!" everyone else shouted as they got their own magic ready.   
  
"We are Fairy Tail wizards! You can't pin us down easily!" Levy shouted.   
  
The man tilted his head. "We were the ones who put runes on this building. We know that you can't get out and neither can your magic."  
  
"Well then how are you going to...uh, what's the saying kids are saying these days?" Wakaba turned to Macao.   
  
“‘Bring us in’," Macao said with an eye roll in Wakaba's direction.   
  
"Yeah that," he said. "How're you gonna do that when you can't come in either?"  
  
This time, the man smiled. "Who said anything about us coming in?"  
  
He raised his hand and five men stepped up behind him, holding something that looked like barrels with nozzles in their hands.   
  
They aimed them inside the guild.   
  
Master's eyes widened. "Everybody get down!" he shouted out in alarm.   
  
Gajeel immediately grabbed Lily and Levy before he crouched down.   
  
Laxus covered Mira's body with his own while Elfman grabbed Lisanna.   
  
Natsu grabbed Happy and dove to the ground.   
  
Freed covered Evergreen while Alzack and Bisca covered Asuka.   
  
Max shielded Laki while Wakaba and Macao shielded Romeo.   
  
Cana and Juvia clung to each other as Bickslow stood in front of them.   
  
And then, the five men fired.   
  
Canisters came out of the nozzles and shot into the guild and landed on the floor.   
  
At first, nothing happens.   
  
Natsu slowly got up with a grin on his face. "Haha! They were duds!" he exclaimed.   
  
And that's when they went off. Smoke was coming from them, quickly filling up the guild.   
  
Makarov's eyes widened.   
  
_I recognize these..._  
  
"Minna! It's sleeping gas! Don't breathe it in!"  
  
Everyone heard his words and tried to heed his warning.   
  
But they couldn't hold out.   
  
One by one, members of the guild let out their breaths and inhaled the smoke.   
  
And one by one, members of the guild succumbed to the sleeping gas.   
  
Levy struggled to remain awake but she felt her body shutting down.   
  
_No! I can't fall asleep! I can't...fall...asleep. I must...warn...Lucy._  
  
And finally, all members of Fairy Tail were down.   
  
The man who spoke the people of Fairy Tail looked behind him.   
  
"They're all out. You know what you have to do now."  
  
~wWw~  
  
"We made it," Lucy sighed in relief.   
  
The group from Tenrou Island had just arrived in Hargeon, with Jellal and Meredy wearing their cloaks so no one could noticed them.   
  
"Alright," Jellal intoned, "you all know that plan."  
  
Wendy nodded. "Hai."  
  
Carla, who was in her human form, turned to look at them. "We should get moving, we don't want to waste any time."  
  
Meredy nodded under her hood. "She's right. Let's go."  
  
All five of them made their way towards the Hargeon Train Station, all the while trying to stay inconspicuous.   
  
Surprisingly, no one even glanced their way. Everyone in town seemed to be too busy talking to somebody about something.   
  
When they got to the train station, Meredy, Wendy, Carla, and Jellal stayed behind while Lucy got the tickets.   
  
And then they finally boarded the train. Lucy, Wendy, and Carla were all anxious. For Wendy and Carla, it was worry clouding their minds for their friends.   
  
But for Lucy...not only was she worried about her friends, she's worried about them seeing her again.   
  
Mainly Natsu.   
  
_If everything's fine and _they're_ all fine, what if he catches my scent? What if he tries to track me down again?_   
  
As if sensing her unease, Jellal took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze and she smiled at him in thanks.   
  
In what seemed like no time at all, the train pulled into Magnolia and they all got up and out the train.   
  
They all started making their way towards Fairy Tail when it started.   
  
Cloth-covered wagons that were being pulled by horses were making their way down the street they were on.   
  
"Get to the side!" Jellal hissed quietly.   
  
They wasted no time in do acting that. There must have been six or seven wagons that passed by, but the cloth prevented them from seeing inside.   
  
As they passed, Lucy and the others noticed two alarming details.   
  
The cloth had the Rune Knights symbol on it.   
  
So did the uniform of the men who were driving them.   
  
"We need to get to the guild, _now_," Lucy said lowly.   
  
"But we can't walk out in the open with this many Rune Knights," Meredy said in agitation.   
  
"We can stick to the back streets," Wendy suggested.   
  
Lucy nodded. "Alright, let's go, _quickly_."  
  
They ducked into an alleyway and made their way towards Fairy Tail as fast as they could.   
  
When they got the building in their sights, Lucy made them slow down so they could approach it stealthily.   
  
Finally, they arrived. They still kept a hundred yards between them and the building though, just in case.   
  
The doors were wide open but they were too far away to see inside.   
  
"Let me go," Wendy said. "With my dragon slayer hearing, I'll be able to hear inside the building and tell you what's going on. Then you can plan on what to do next."  
  
Lucy bit her lip in a sign of worry. They need to know what's going on but she didn't want Wendy to be at risk of being hurt.   
  
As if reading her mind, Wendy gave her sister figure a smile. "I'll be okay," she said. "I've trained with you and Meredy and Jellal."  
  
Lucy sighed in defeat. "Alright," she conceded. "Just be careful."  
  
"Hai."  
  
Wendy quickly flitted over to the guild, pressing herself against the wall to listen inside.   
  
Lucy, Jellal, Meredy, and Carla watched in growing dread as Wendy's facial expression grew more and more horrified the longer she listened in.  
  
She hurried back over to them.   
  
"What is it, Wendy?" Meredy asked when she stopped in front of them.  
  
"T-There's four people left in the guild along with Happy a-and I think thirteen Rune Knights in there too."  
  
Lucy swore nastily under her breath.   
  
"Alright, so we need a plan to draw them out of there," Meredy stated. "Any ideas?"  
  
Everyone was quiet for a moment before Lucy let out a chuckle.   
  
They all turned to her to see her smiling towards Carla. "I've got an idea."  
  
~wWw~  
  
Lisanna's body felt heavy to her. Like she was sinking in water with weights attached to her limbs.   
  
Her eyelids refused to open, and her arms and legs wouldn't move no matter how much she wanted them to.   
  
Her hearing wasn't working either. A low buzzing sound seemed to be the only thing she could hear.   
  
However, after a while, her body was starting to feel lighter, and the fog in her mind was slowly disappearing.   
  
Lisanna tried opening her eyes again, and found that she could but her limbs were still slow in responding to her mind's commands.   
  
She was in the Fairy Tail guildhall, but she wasn't the only one. There were Rune Knights inside, as well as some of her friends. No one else was in sight.   
  
They were Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Erza. Natsu was talking to a Rune Knight.   
  
"Where have you taken our friends?! What did you do with them?!" he asked loudly, his face contorted in fury.   
  
"And what are these runes on us?!" Gray tacked on.   
  
Hearing his words, Lisanna looked down to find that she had rune markings across her stomach.   
  
"The runes we've placed on you and your friends prevents you from accessing your magic, as well as keeping you from your full strength so you cannot fight back," the man answered. "And as for your friends, you shouldn't worry. You'll be joining them soon enough."  
  
After he said that, the other Rune Knights started walking towards them.   
  
But before they could get any closer to perhaps take them away, a voice interrupted them.   
  
"Help! Please, you must help!"  
  
Everyone turned towards the guild's opening to see a young girl standing there.   
  
To Lisanna, the girl looked to be the same age as Wendy. She had white hair that fell to her shoulders with a pink hat on her head and a pink and white outfit on.   
  
"Please," she begged to the Rune Knights. "You have to help! T-There are bandits breaking into our homes!"  
  
Happy's eyes widened.   
  
_I recognize that voice..._  
  
The man Natsu and Gray were talking to pointed to some of his men. "Go take care of that situation, we'll handle this," he said.   
  
"Hai!"  
  
The little girl pointed outside. "They're right over there!" she cried out.   
  
The men quickly rushed outside.  
  
No one saw the white-haired girl's smirk.   
  
And all hell broke loose.   
  
"Star Shot!"  
  
A yell sounded outside. Then bright lights seemed to fall from the sky, targeting the men.   
  
"AHH!"   
  
The men were easily taken out. The man in charge looked horrified before shouting out, "The rest of you, go take them down!"  
  
"H-Hai!”  
  
When the last of them ran out, the lone rune knight turned towards the white-haired girl. "Little girl, I thought you said they were bandits-"  
  
However, he and the others in the guild were shocked when she ran up and kick him under his chin, sending him up and backward. He crashed to the floor, unconscious.   
  
When she had kicked him, the girl had to bend down and that caused her hat to fall off.   
  
Everyone was staring at her now visible cat-like ears on her head.   
  
The dots were starting to connect.   
  
Natsu was staring at her in shock.   
  
_No way. _  
  
Gray's face was showing an incredible amount of disbelief.   
  
_Couldn't be. _  
  
Lisanna was just starting to get it.   
  
_Oh my Kami-sama is that-_  
  
Erza was staring at the girl in dawning realization.   
  
_Kami-sama...she's-__  
__  
_Happy stared at the girl with a slight smile.   
  
"How's it going, Carla?"  
  
The girl, Carla, smiled. "I could be better tomcat, I could certainly be better."  
  
"Carla! Are you okay?" a voice called out.   
  
They all turned and saw _Wendy_ rushing through the doors.   
  
"I am alright, child," Carla said.   
  
"Wendy?!" Natsu sputtered in shock.   
  
"Everything okay in here?"  
  
An achingly familiar voice called out and Natsu turned towards the speaker. His mouth seemed to go dry and butterflies came alive in his stomach when he saw who it was.   
  
He couldn't get his mouth to move to say hello. The same couldn't be said about her though.   
  
Lucy Heartfilia smiled slightly. "Hello, minna. How's your day been going?"


	22. Chapter Twenty-Two

Lucy's question was met with silence. 

Everyone in the building, besides Wendy and Carla that is, was staring at her in shock and awe. 

After a moment, Happy broke the quiet. "LUCY!"

He tried to fly to her but forgot about the runes on his body that blocked his magic. So, he ended up doing a painful belly flop onto the floor.

"OWIE!"

His startled shout broke the tension in the air. Lucy laughed before she moved forward to scoop Happy up from the floor and into a hug. 

"Hey, Happy," she muttered with a smile on her face. Happy merely buried his face into her neck, elation feeling his body up like oxygen in a balloon. 

"I'm so glad you're here, Lucy," he said after removing his face, "everything's a total mess now!"

"I know," she said as Happy moved to sit on her shoulder. "We need to get you guys out of here."

Everyone was still staring at her in slight shock. However, after seeing the reunion between Lucy and Happy, Gray couldn't hold himself back anymore. 

This was his sister, dammit! Blood relation or not!

He got up on shaky legs and stumbled over to where she was standing. 

_Kūso, these runes really work. _

Before Lucy could ask what he was doing, Gray wrapped her up in a tight hug, his face buried in her hair. 

He felt the sting of tears enter his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. 

Lucy was here and was_ safe_. That's no reason to cry. 

"Don't do that to me again, imouto," Gray whispered to her fiercely. 

Lucy's eyes widened at the endearment, but she returned his hug as a smile lit up her face. "Sorry to worry you, nii-san."

In response, Gray just tightened his hug. 

Happy, who was still sitting on Lucy's shoulder, smiled at the tender scene. 

_Gray tried to hide it, but he was worried about Lucy these last two months. He must be thrilled to see her again. _

Lucy was the first to pull back. "We need to get you guys out of here."

Gray stared at her in confusion, but it was Erza who voiced the question. "Why? Do you know what's going on here? Do you know why they were trying to arrest us?"

"We'll explain as soon as we get out of here," Lucy said. 

"C'mon," Wendy spoke up. "We can go out the back."

"You guys go ahead," Lucy said while staring at the unconscious rune knight in the guild. "I'll catch up."

"But–" Natsu spoke up for the first time only to be cut off by Carla. 

"We don't have time," the exceed said as she helped him stand. "We need to go before more of them show up."

Natsu obviously wanted to continue arguing, but one surprisingly icy glare from Carla shut him up. 

"Fine," he sulked as Carla led him towards the back. 

Happy hopped off Lucy's shoulder to climb onto Gray's as Wendy walked over to help the ice mage walk steadily out the building. 

Erza helped herself and Lisanna to their feet and followed Carla and Natsu to the back with Wendy and Gray bringing the rear. 

Lucy walked over to the unconscious man, pulling out a key as she went. 

~wWw~

Carla led Natsu out the door and into the fresh air, the others not far behind her. 

"Guys! Come down, the coast is clear!" Wendy called out. 

Natsu, Gray, and Happy looked confused while Erza and Lisanna's eyes widened in realization. 

Happy turned to look at Carla. "Who are you–"

But before he could finish his question, two figures jump down in front of them, causing his question to die in his throat. 

"Never mind."

The two people stood up from their crouched position to face them. Their faces were covered by the hooded cloaks they were wearing, but everyone recognized them, even before they pulled the hoods down. 

Erza's eyes were as wide as they could go as she stared at the face of her childhood friend. She couldn't find the will to force her eyes to leave his face. 

"...Jellal..."

"Hello Erza, it's good to see you again," Jellal said calmly. He glanced over at Natsu, who was gaping at him. "You too, Natsu."

Erza's surprise slowly slipped from her face. 

_Maybe now, I can finally get the answers to my questions. To see if it is true that Jellal helped train Lucy and the other two, and how close the two of them are. _

"Hi, Gray," Meredy smiled shyly at him. 

"Hey, Meredy," Gray replied. "It's been a while."

"It has, hasn't it?" she agreed. "At least there aren't any mini dragons running around, ne?"

Gray chuckled. "Hai, there's that." He glanced around the group quickly before looking back at her, his eyes turning solemn. 

"It seems I was right," he murmured. "Ultear isn't with us anymore, is she?"

Meredy's smile was sad. "No, she isn't."

While they were talking, Natsu's head swiveled from side to side as he tried to follow their conversation. "I am so _confused_," he moaned while clutching his head. 

Happy looked at him in annoyance. "What else is new?" he quipped. 

It might be safe to say that he's still slightly mad at Natsu, even after two months. 

No one seemed to notice Jellal's slightly smug face after Happy's insult before his neutral look slid back in place. 

"Nice to see you again, Jellal," Lisanna spoke up. "And nice to meet you, Meredy."

They both nodded back at her but didn't say anything. They still remember what Lucy had informed them she told about her. 

Jellal turned to look at Wendy. "Where's Lucy?" he asked her, his brow furrowed in worry. 

Erza couldn't stop her slight recoil. 

_Why does he sound...concerned about her? What the hell is their relationship?_

Gray must've heard something in his tone of voice because his eyes narrowed slightly. 

_I think I'm gonna need to have a little chat with Jellal soon. _

"Nee-chan is still inside," Wendy answered him. "She said she'll be right out."

"I'm here," Lucy said as she walked out. She went to stand by Jellal and whisper something in his ear. 

This caused Erza's body to tense subtly. 

Jellal nodded after Lucy finished speaking with him and looked back over at the others. "Alright, we have to get you guys out of here."

"Why?!" Natsu asked in frustration. "Why do we need to leave?! What the _hell_ is going on?!"

"We have to leave because once they realize you four - sorry, you five," Jellal said after glancing at Happy, "are missing, they're going to send more people to capture you. And with those runes on your body, you're practically defenseless."

"So, like Nii-san said," Wendy added, "we need to get out of here."

"I guess it makes sense," Gray admitted grudgingly. 

_Even though it does, I don't like how this feels like we're running away. _

Natsu sulked after Gray's comment. Jellal rolled his eyes at his apparent childishness. 

"Wait a minute," Erza said as she stared at Wendy. "Did you just call Jellal 'Nii-san'?"

Wendy blushed and averted her eyes to the ground, refusing to answer the question. 

Erza became slightly frustrated. "Wendy?" she asked in a harder tone. 

"For heaven's sake, Erza, stop treating the child like a convict!" Carla snapped. "We have bigger things to worry about than that!"

Natsu and Gray stared at the transformed exceed in awe. 

_She told off Erza. Hardly _anyone_ does that anymore. _

Lucy nodded at Erza's words. "She's right," she said as she took out a silver key. 

Gray stared at it in confusion. "Where'd you get that one? I don't recognize it."

She smirked. "A couple of bandits had it in their stash, so after they attacked me and I fought them for it, I took this and two others they had."

"You just took them?" Erza asked incredulously. 

Lucy shrugged. "Of course. The spirits are better off with me than where they were."

She turned away from her and held out the silver key. "Open, Gate of the Winged Horse: Pegasus!"

The customary bright light that accompanies the arrival of a celestial spirit shown brightly, making everyone except for Lucy and Jellal to look away. 

When the light died down, Pegasus was standing there proudly, her coat gleaming in the sunlight. 

Lisanna gasped in awe. "Sugoi, she's beautiful," she said. 

Erza nodded, unable to add anything to Lisanna's assessment. 

Lucy pointed at them. "You two," she said to Lisanna and Erza, "will ride on her with Wendy."

Lisanna smiled in glee. "Awesome!"

"And you two," Lucy said while gesturing to Natsu and Gray, "will be carried by Carla."

"Carried?" Gray echoed. 

"By Carla?" Natsu asked. 

Lucy nodded. "Hai. Happy can go too."

They glanced at each other in confusion. 

"And what about you three?" Erza asked while gesturing to Lucy, Meredy, and Jellal. "How are you guys going to get to wherever we're supposed to be going?"

"Jellal is going to carry Lucy and me there," Meredy said nonchalantly with a shrug. 

That didn't go over well with Erza. 

"He's going to carry you there?" Erza asked. 

_As in, he's going to wrap his arms around them? Mainly her?!_

"Yes," Meredy said slowly with a raised eyebrow. 

"Alright," Lucy cut in. "We need to go now."

Erza nodded, albeit reluctantly, and walked over to Pegasus, Lisanna, and Wendy not far behind her. 

Gray walked over to where Natsu was standing with Carla, Happy still sitting on his shoulder. 

When he got to them, Carla activated her aerial magic, causing her wings to appear on her back. 

Ignoring the shocked looks on the boys' faces, she picked Happy up and placed him on her shoulder. She then grabbed fistfuls of the boys' shirts and flew up. 

Natsu and Gray yelped in surprise - and in slight fear. Even though they have flown with Happy many times, they've never had their magic restricted from them while doing so. 

By this time, Wendy, Lisanna, and Erza have climbed aboard Pegasus. Lucy walked over and rubbed her snout softly, and she 'neighed' in response. 

"Time for liftoff girl," she said quietly. 

She moved back, allowing Pegasus to spread her wings and fly up. 

Jellal looked up at everyone. "Alright, Carla, Pegasus. You guys go on ahead, we'll meet you there."

Erza frowned from where she was seated on Pegasus. "What do you mean you'll–"

However, her question was cut off by Pegasus flying away at speeds you wouldn't think her capable of. The startled shouts of her passengers faded into the distance. 

Carla glanced at Happy, who was still on her shoulder. "You might want to hang on, tomcat."

Happy nodded and gripped her shirt. 

Gray frowned and looked up at her. "Why should only Happy hang on?"

She didn't answer him. Instead, she shouted, "Max Speed!"

She flew off, Natsu and Gray's screams disappearing with her. 

Lucy let out a sigh and sagged, the tension she wouldn't let anyone see showing clearly in her posture. "Well," she said, "that went better than expected."

Meredy glanced at her friend in sympathy as Jellal wrapped an arm around her. "I'm guessing once we all reach Tenrou Island, it'll get worse," she said. "Especially with Erza; I saw the way she was looking at Jellal."

Jellal wrapped his other arm around Lucy in a comforting hug. "Sooner or later, she'll find out," Jellal admitted. "I don't feel anything romantic towards her, but I still care about her as a friend."

Lucy sighed and hugged Jellal tighter. "This mess, not to mention all of the light guilds being captured...*sigh* it's all like one big bowl of spaghetti."

Jellal bent down and kissed her neck, causing her to shiver slightly. "We'll get through it," he murmured to her. 

Meredy smiled at them. "I _really_ hate to interrupt this, but we should get going so we can meet them on the island."

Reluctantly acknowledging that she was right, they drew apart. Keeping one arm wrapped around Lucy, he wrapped his other arm around Meredy and activated his Meteor spell. 

Floating slightly in the air, he glanced at the two girls in his arms. "Hang on tight," he warned. 

And then they too disappeared. 

~wWw~

When Pegasus touched down on Tenrou Island, Erza and Lisanna were shocked. 

"So this is where you guys have been staying after you left Crocus," Lisanna said thoughtfully. 

Erza agreed with her; however, she was inwardly kicking herself for not thinking of it. 

Wendy hopped off Pegasus and walked around to pet her snout. With a smile on her face, she said, "It was Nee-chan's idea. Since we were here for the S-Class exams, we know the area. Master said it was okay."

Erza lifted a brow as she got off Pegasus, Lisanna climbing down as well. "Master knows you were here?"

"Uh-huh," Wendy answered. She smiled at Pegasus. "Thank you so much for your help. You can go back to the spirit world now."

With a soft neigh, Pegasus pushed her nose against Wendy's head before vanishing in a flash of light. 

Lisanna looked around. Nothing seems to have changed much, other than a campsite where the others must have been staying. 

Wendy looked around as well, a confused tilt to her lips. "Ano sa, where's everybody else?"

Two girlish screams answered her question. 

The girls turned around and saw Carla speeding towards the island, Gray and Natsu in each of her hands and Happy hanging onto her shoulder for dear life. 

The boys were clutching at Carla's arms, clutching their shirts, screaming themselves hoarse as they came closer. 

When Carla finally landed in front of them and deactivated her aerial magic, Natsu and Gray threw themselves on the ground. 

"Oh, thank _Kami-sama!_" Gray cried out. "That was terrifying!"

Natsu was too busy kissing the ground to say anything. 

Carla raised a brow. "This isn't the first time I've carried you two, and you've been carried by Happy before. So what makes you two goons shriek in holy terror this time?"

"We can't access our magic," Gray explained since Natsu was still getting to first base with the ground. "Normally, we'd be fine since we can count on our magic as a fail-safe. But now we can't, so..."

"Your vote of confidence is touching," Carla remarked dryly. Happy pouted at him from her shoulder. 

Carla glanced around. "Jellal, Meredy, and Lucy are not here yet?" she asked. 

"No, they are not," Erza answered. 

"Well, no use standing around like cattle," Carla said as she walked over to their campsite, "Let's sit."

Wendy followed after her as did the others after a moment of hesitation. 

"Can you guys tell us what's going on now?" Natsu questioned. 

"I'd like to wait until the others get here," Carla replied. "They can add input in case we leave anything out."

"Well, how long are they going to take?" Natsu asked impatiently. 

"Not long," Wendy said as she pointed out at the water.

Everyone followed her finger and saw a bright light streaking across the water towards them. 

"Is that–" Erza started saying, but Carla cut her off. 

"Jellal's meteor spell," she said. "He's carrying Meredy and Lucy with him."

She was right because, a moment later, they touched down a few yards from them. 

Erza narrowed her eyes as she saw Lucy and Jellal with their arms around the other. She didn't seem to care that Jellal's other arm was wrapped around Meredy too. 

When they touched down, Jellal started to remove his arm from around Lucy's waist. However, he couldn't help but trail his hand slightly lower on her back as he did so. 

Lucy had to stop herself from visibly shivering at the feeling of Jellal's hand drifting lower on her spine as he removed his arm. 

He walked towards everyone, but not before shooting Lucy a secretive smirk. 

She tried to fight the blush that wanted to appear on her cheeks, but she didn't know if she was successful. 

Lucy joined Meredy and walked over to her friends and sat down, Meredy and Jellal, on either side of her. 

"Finally, you're here!" Natsu exclaimed. "Now, can you tell us what's going on?!"

Lucy glanced at Jellal and then Carla. She nodded her head, and Lucy sighed before looking at her friends. 

"It's a long story," she began. 

~wWw~

Levy groaned as she started to wake up. 

After blinking her eyes to get rid of the blurriness, she looked around. It appeared that she was in some kind of cell with other members of Fairy Tail. 

They had their hands and feet bound and chained to a wall. A quick glance showed that Levy was chained to a wall too. 

She yanked at her hands and tried moving her feet, but her limbs wouldn't budge. 

She tried using her magic, but she couldn't sense it anywhere in her body. 

She was trapped. 

They all were. 

Tears gathered in her eyes. 

_Oh, Kami-sama, please, send someone to save us!_

~wWw~

Silence was the only thing present among the people on Tenrou Island. 

Natsu, Gray, Happy, Erza, and Lisanna were staring at the others in shock. 

Lucy had just explained Carla's vision with Carla and sometimes Jellal adding input whenever she forgot something. 

Gray was the first to break the silence. "I can't believe this," he said. He buried his face in his hands. "Everyone is gone..."

"The Magic Council isn't totally back up and running just yet," Jellal said. "The Rune Knights can answer to orders from a senior officer like Lahar or the royal family. Since Carla saw the castle in her vision, we can assume that everyone was taken there."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Natsu shouted as he stood up. "We gotta go bust them out!"

Carla pulled him down before smacking the back of his head. "Baka!" she scolded. "We can't just go rushing in there without a plan! Besides, you and the others don't have access to your magic. Can you please try and use the brain cells that aren't charcoal yet?"

Gray, Happy, and Meredy burst out laughing, Wendy and Lisanna giggled, and Jellal let a smirk cross his face. 

Erza and Lucy merely smiled. 

"Carla's right," Jellal said as he stood up, "we need a plan, and we're not going to execute it until tomorrow."

He started walking away. "I'm going to go get some firewood, I'll be back."

"Can I come with you?" Erza blurted out. 

Jellal stopped walking and looked over his shoulder at her before sending a discreet look at Lucy. 

Lucy quirked a quick smile, telling him that it was fine. 

Jella turned to Erza. "Sure."

Erza got to her feet and hurried after Jellal since he began walking as soon as he finished talking. 

Lucy turned to everyone else. "I'd like to see the runes on one of you if you don't mind."

"Sure," Natsu answered quickly, "you can look at mine."

Lucy raised a brow but didn't argue. "Alright," she said. "Come sit over here so I can get a look."

Natsu came over and sat next to her, taking his vest off as he did. The runes were on his chest. 

A few months ago, Lucy would have blushed at seeing his chest. 

She would've stuttered over her words and turned into a love-struck fool. 

But she's over that now. She has someone else in her life. 

She has someone else she lo-

"Wendy, Carla, and I are going to go get some fresh water," Meredy said as they all stood up. 

"Can I come too?" Lisanna asked shyly. 

Meredy shrugged. "Sure, I don't care."

And then they too walked away and into the woods. 

Gray glanced at Happy, who had gotten off Carla's shoulder before she walked off. Happy nodded his head. "Happy and I are gonna go exploring," he said, picking Happy up and settling him on his shoulder. "We'll be back."

They walked off before Lucy or Natsu could get a word in. 

They were alone. 

Lucy sighed before looking at the runes adorning Natsu's chest. 

Natsu was nervous about being alone with her.

_I still haven't apologized to her for what I said that day. I guess this is a good time as any. _

"Lucy," Natsu said quietly. 

"Hai?" Lucy asked, distractedly. She was still inspecting the runes. "What is it, Natsu?"

"...Gomen'nasai," he continued in the same tone. 

Hearing his tone of voice and the words he spoke, Lucy finally looked up at him. "Nani? What are you sorry for?"

"For what I said to you before me and Happy left on that job," he said. 

Lucy's eyes softened slightly. "It's okay, Natsu."

"No, it's not," Natsu said forcefully. "You thought I called you weak. I didn't mean to, I swear. I was...I just didn't want to lose you again, just like I did in the capital."

Lucy's eyes softened even more before she pulled Natsu into a hug. "Oh, Natsu," she softly. She pulled back and looked into his eyes. "I know you want to protect me, especially since my future self died, but I'm not made of glass or some damsel in distress. You have to let me do things without hovering around me, and you need to believe that I can take care of myself."

"I know, and I'm sorry," Natsu admitted shamefully. "Can you please forgive me?"

Lucy smiled. "Of course, I can."

He smiled back. Things were starting to be right between them again. 

~wWw~

Lisanna was starting to regret going with them. All three of them, including Wendy, were hardly talking to her. 

Lisanna wanted to smack herself. 

_Of course, Lucy would tell them what I said about her. I forgot about that for a while, it's been months. _

"Alright, we got the water," Meredy said, "Time to head back."

"Wait," Lisanna called out. 

Meredy turned to look at her, and the pinkette's red eyes were cold. "Yes?" she asked icily. 

Lisanna flinched at the tone of her voice looked away. Carla had her arms crossed with disapproval on her face, and even Wendy had narrowed her eyes. 

"I know you have something to say," Lisanna said hesitantly. "Just say it to get it off your chest."

And the floodgates were opened. 

"How dare you," Meredy hissed. "How dare you say those things about Lucy Heartfilia! She isn't anything like that! You had no right or reason for those words to leave your mouth! You should be ashamed of yourself!"

"It is unbecoming of a young lady to act in the manner that you did," Carla said steely. "It was downright shameful."

"You were always so nice to me," Wendy added quietly. "You were never mean to anyone either. Why would you say those things about my nee-chan?"

Lisanna had silent tears rolling down her cheeks by the time they were done talking. She looked to the ground. "I was jealous of her," she whispered. 

"Not good enough," Meredy seethed, venom in her tone. 

"I know," Lisanna said. "Nothing can justify my actions and words against Lucy. But I saw her with my friends and my family, and nothing was the same anymore. I...I just felt replaced."

It was quiet for a while after she said that. 

Wendy broke the quiet first. "I'm sorry that you were in that position, Lisanna. But you had no reason to feel like that. Fairy Tail isn't just a guild, it's a family. Everyone is family, and the guild is a home. You shouldn't have got caught up in your resentment."

Lisanna finally lifted her head to look at Wendy. She was no longer staring at her in anger but in disappointment. 

_You've grown Wendy. _

"You're right," she said. "You're right, I'll...I'll try to look past my own misgivings before judging someone."

Meredy stared at her a moment longer before she sighed and nodded. "Fine, whatever. Let's just get back to the others."

Lisanna smiled slightly before she followed them back. 

_It isn't fixed, but I think we're moving in the right direction. _

~wWw~

Erza bent down and examined some branches that could be used for a fire. 

Her palms were sweaty, and her breathing was uneven. 

She wanted to confront Jellal, but now that she has the chance to, she finds herself hesitant. 

_Enough of this! I am Fairy Tail's strongest female wizard! I can handle a conversation!_

"So, uh, h-how have you been Jellal?" she turned to ask him. 

He was bent over, picking up some branches as well as some dry leaves. "I've been fine," he answered without looking at the redhead. 

"Ano sa, i-is it true that you've been training Lucy?"

This time he did look at her. "Meredy and I ran into her, along _with_ Wendy _and_ Carla, while they were in Crocus."

Erza flushed slightly, recognizing his hint that it wasn't just Lucy he helped. 

"Er, right," she said shamefully. "You helped them train then?"

"Not at first," he answered as he turned around to look for more firewood. "We stayed with them for a while before I offered to help."

"Why did you stay?" Erza asked in confusion. "And why did you offer to help?"

Jellal turned to look her with an eyebrow raised. "_We_ stayed because it was nice to be in the presence of other people. We had lost Ultear, and we, Meredy especially, wanted human contact," he said as if it was apparent. 

"And why did you offer to help?" Erza persisted. 

"What's with the third degree?" Jellal asked. "What, am I not allowed to hang out with your friends or something?"

"N-No, that's...that's not what I'm saying," Erza stuttered out. 

"And what _are_ you saying?"

Deciding to be blunt, Erza asked, "Why are you sticking around? Why are you helping her?"

"How come I can't?" he asked incredulously. "And what do you mean 'her'? Do you mean Lucy?"

Erza didn't answer. 

Jellal scowled. "Is that what this is about? Me spending time with Lucy? Because she isn't the only one on this island, you know, there are three other people."

Erza was taken aback by the look on Jellal's face. "B-But you–"

"'But' me nothing! We wanted to stick around them because they're fun to hang out with, and we helped them because they needed it!"

Erza frowned. "So, after all of this is over, after we rescue everyone, you'll leave them alone?"

"No, I'm going to keep in contact with them."

"What?" Erza gasped. "Why?"

"Why not? They're my friends. Wendy is practically my little sister."

"Well, _I'm_ your friend, and you don't keep in contact with me."

"How did this conversation turn into something about you?" Jellal asked incredulously. "Is that what this whole thing is about? Me spending time with them instead of you?"

"What's going on between you and Lucy?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"And you're not answering mine. What's going on between you and Lucy?"

"What makes you think something is going on?"

"Lisanna told us what happened when she first ran into Lucy. She told us how worried you were about her."

"So now I can't be worried about someone I care about?"

"So you _do_ care about her! Why?"

"Why _not_?!"

"Why are you sticking around? Why are you helping her?"

"Again, _why not_?!"

"Tell me why!" Erza cried. "Why are you staying around Lucy?! Why are you helping her?! Why do you care about her?!"

"Because I love her!"

A startled hush engulfed the two mages and the air around them. 

Erza looked like she had been slapped. "You...you love her?" she asked quietly. 

Jellal closed his eyes and sighed. 

_This is _not_ how I wanted people to know about us. _

"Yes," he admitted. "I do. I'm in love with her."

Erza was shaking her head. "No," she said. "No, you can't. You love me. You're in love with me."

"No, I'm not," Jellal said quietly but sternly. 

"You have to be," Erza said, almost frantically. 

"And why is that? Because we were child slaves together? Because you were the one to save me from Zeref's possession? Erza, I do care about you, and I owe you a lot for dragging my mind from the darkness it was shrouded in. But I can't love you in the way you want me to."

"Yes, you can," Erza said stubbornly. "If you try, you can."

"You're right," Jellal admitted. "If I try, I could love you that way. But I don't want to. I'm in love with Lucy Heartfilia, Erza. That's not going to change; it never will."

"But_ I_ love you," Erza said as she stepped closer. 

"I know you care about me, Erza," Jellal countered. "But I don't know if you love me in a romantic sense. I don't know you well enough to love you, and you don't know me. Being locked in the Tower of Heaven doesn't count; those were extreme circumstances."

Jellal stepped away from her, his eyes sorrowful and filled with regret but also filled with determination. "Gomen'nasai," he said softly. "But my heart chooses Lucy. Now and forever."

Erza stared at him, a tight feeling filling her chest, and her eyes prickling with unshed tears. 

She backed away from him gradually. She wanted to give him a chance to change his mind and realize that he loves her, not Lucy. 

But he doesn't move towards her. If anything, he seems to lean away. 

Erza, feeling like something inside her chest was about to explode, turned around and started walking back to where the others were, her whole body feeling numb. 

Jellal sighed and covered his eyes with his hand. 

_That could've gone better. But then again, I suppose could've gone worse, too. _

~wWw~

Unknown to the two people who were conversing, there were another two people who witnessed their argument and Erza's subsequent leave. 

Happy, who was still sitting on Gray's shoulder, turned to look at him, mirroring his shocked expression. 

"Can you say 'awkward'?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the record, I do not hate Lisanna. I just thought that she'd have a harder time readjusting to life back in Earthland and that she'd have trouble with it. To be honest, I'm mostly indifferent to her character. I never really understood the stories that make Lisanna be the bad guy for no apparent reason other than to make her the villainess, though.
> 
> As for Erza, in this story, she lets her emotions cloud her judgment. I'm not trying to villainize her; I'm merely writing it in a way that Erza is struggling with her emotions, just like Lisanna.
> 
> Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. More to follow!


	23. Chapter Twenty-Three

Erza stumbled through the trees, branches whipping at her face, and tree roots tripping her feet. 

She couldn't bring herself to move her arms to push the branches out the way and her mind was too far away to even _contemplate _looking down to avoid the roots. 

Her arms were numb. 

Her legs were numb. 

Her mind was numb. 

But her chest was almost exploding at the amount of pain it was encasing. 

And even though her mind was numb, the same phrase kept repeating itself over and over again. 

_Jellal is in love with Lucy. Jellal is in love with Lucy. Jellal is in love with Lucy. _ Jellal _is in love with _ Lucy_._

Strangely, no tears were pooling in her eyes. She wanted to cry, sob, scream, and rage but her body won't do anything other than walk forward. 

She didn't realize she was near the camp until she heard Gray's voice. 

She hasn't gone far enough so they couldn't see her yet. She took a deep breath as she tried to collect herself. 

_I am Erza Scarlet. I am Fairy Tail's strongest female wizard. I survived the Tower of Heaven. I survived Oracion Seis. I survived Edolas. I survived Grimoire Heart and Acnologia. I survived the Grand Magic Games and I survived the dragons. I can handle walking back to and sitting with my friends. _

Without further ado, she walked forward and into the campsite. 

She didn't look anyone in the eye as she sat down. 

She didn't see Gray and Happy exchange worried looks. 

"Oh, hey Erza, I guess you're back," Natsu's voice rang out. 

Erza's head snapped up to look at him. At the same time, Lucy stopped examining the runes on Natsu to look at her before looking around. 

Frowning, she looked back at Erza. "Jellal didn't walk back with you?" she asked. "And where's the firewood you were going to get?"

Erza forced herself to stare into her eyes without flinching or backing down. 

_Jellal has feelings for her. Jellal's _in love _with her_.

"I gave the bark I found to Jellal," she said calmly. "He wanted to keep looking and said I should head back."

On the outside she was calm, but on the inside she was confused. 

_Why does he love her? What does she have that I don't? What is it that made him choose her over me? _ Me_, the person who has always been there?_

Lucy hummed in affirmation before looking back at the runes on Natsu. 

"We're back!" Meredy called out as she, Wendy, Carla, and Lisanna walked out of the woods. 

They placed the water down before walking over to sit down. 

Meredy frowned as she glanced around. "Hey, where's Jellal?" she asked. 

"Apparently, he's still gathering firewood," Lucy answered without looking away from the runes she was examining. 

_This isn't good. These are more complex than I had originally thought. _

"I'm back," Jellal's voice rang out. 

Erza didn't bother to look towards him, preferring to keep her gaze on the ground in front of her. 

Gray and Happy glanced him, then at Erza, then at Lucy, then back at Jellal. 

They were both thinking the same thing. 

_How long will it be before this whole thing blows up in our faces?_

Jellal set the bark and dry leaves down. "Do you think you can take the runes off?" he asked Lucy. 

She shook her head. "No, it's too advanced for me. We'll need Levy or even Freed to get these off."

Jellal nodded in understanding. "Can I talk to you for a second?" he asked. "It's really important."

Lucy frowned slightly but nodded anyway. "Sure, okay."

She got up and followed him into the trees. 

Erza's fists were clenched so hard her knuckles were white. 

Meredy noticed and glanced at her in concern. "Are you alright Erza?"

"What?" she looked up in shock. "H-Hai, I'm fine."

Meredy obviously didn't believe her but she let the subject drop. 

Happy and Gray, the only ones who knew what was truly going on, stared at her in concern. 

Before subtly inching away from her tense form. 

They didn't want to be near her when she exploded. 

~wWw~

Lucy followed Jellal as he walked deep into the forest. 

She could tell something was wrong by how stiff his shoulders were and how silent he was being. 

She didn't bother to try talking to him just yet. She wanted to give him time to sort things in his own mind before he spoke. 

Finally, after five minutes of walking in the silence, Jellal stopped. 

But he still didn't speak. 

Lucy hesitantly reached out to touch his shoulder. 

"Jellal?" she said softly. "Is everything okay?"

It happened so fast that Lucy barely had time to blink. 

Jellal spun around, grabbed her wrist, yanked her towards him, and crashed his lips onto hers. 

Lucy's surprise lasted maybe a second before she too closed her eyes and started kissing him back, tangling her hands in his hair. 

He backed her up against a tree, his lips never leaving hers except when they had to break apart for air. 

Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. The feelings she had for him always seemed to multiply whenever they kissed, and that time was no exception. 

This went in for maybe five more minutes before they stopped for good. They were panting heavily, and they each had flushes on their cheeks. 

Jellal reluctantly pulled away from Lucy but immediately drew her in for a tight hug and buried his face in her neck. 

Her pulse slightly returned to normal Lucy asked, "Not that I'm complaining, but what brought this on?"

"She knows," his muffled voice answered. 

"Huh?"

"Erza knows about us," he explained, his face still buried in her neck. 

Lucy's face paled before she clutched him tighter to her. "How?" she asked. "How did she find out?"

"She cornered me when we were in the woods," he stated. "She started questioning me and wouldn't leave it alone until I said something. Gomen'nasai."

"How come she didn't blow up at me when she came back?" Lucy asked in bewilderment. 

_I would've expected her to attack me in all honesty!_

"Maybe she realizes that there's already too much happening right now," he suggested, but even to his own ears, it sounded too hopeful. 

"I guess," Lucy said unsurely. 

Jellal sighed before he pulled back and framed her face with his hands. "I choose you," he said seriously. "Not her. You're the one I want to be with."

Lucy smiled at him warmly before she turned her head to kiss the inside of his wrist, right at his pulse point. "And I am grateful for it every day," she said honestly. "Because I choose you too. Not Natsu."

Jellal leaned in to kiss her forehead before pressing another kiss to her lips. He pulled back slightly and his lips brushed against hers when he spoke. "We should head back before Meredy comes looking for us."

Lucy let out a giggle at the very real possibility before she pulled away. 

"Then let's head back."

~wWw~

"So how are you able to look like a human Carla?"

Happy's voice rang out over the side conversations, causing everyone, including Erza, to look at him. 

Natsu, Gray, Erza, and Lisanna were curious about the answer as well. 

"It's just transformation magic, tomcat," she answered. "But I've been using it so much that it has become slightly permanent. If I want to assume my exceed form again, I'll have to will my magic to do so."

Everyone sans Meredy and Wendy widened their eyes at her explanation. "Sugoi," Happy breathes out. "I can't believe you have that much magic power."

"We aren't just some alley cats," Carla explained. "We are Exceeds. We are born with magical power, evident when we use our aerial magic. If you want to make your magic core bigger, you have to exercise it as mages do."

"Wait," Natsu interjected. "Can Happy do this too?"

"He should be able to," she answered. 

Happy's eyes shined in glee. "YATTA!" he exclaimed. "This is awesome! Okay, here I go!"

"You're cut off from your magic remember?" Meredy interjected. 

Happy's mood flipped like a light switch. 

In the next instant, he was curled up in Natsu's lap, sobbing his little heart out while Natsu petted his head in sympathy. 

Carla, Wendy, and Meredy all sweatdropped at the scene while Gray, Erza, and Lisanna were acting as if it was normal. 

But, knowing Happy, it probably was. He had more emotions than a PMSing girl.

"We're back," Lucy's voice rang out. 

Everyone looked towards where they heard the sound to see Lucy and Jellal walking towards them. 

Erza couldn't stop herself from clenching her fists and she subtly hid them behind her back. 

_Why Jellal? What is it that draws you to her? What is it that caused you to fall in love with her?_

Lucy glanced up at the sky and frowned. "It's getting late," she stated as she stared up at the darkening sky. "We should get some sleep so we can head to Crocus Castle early tomorrow."

Meredy nodded. "Hai, I agree."

Gray said nothing. He was lost in his thoughts about what he and Happy witnessed. 

_So Jellal's in love with my little sister, ne? I...don't know how I feel about that. On one hand, I've only ever known him as the guy who ran the Tower Of Heaven. But on the other hand, that wasn't his fault and Erza described him as being honorable and loyal before he was evil. And I don't know how Lucy feels this either. I suppose I'll talk to her before having an opinion. _

"Gray?"

The sound of his name broke him out of his thoughts to see Meredy holding a sleeping back out to him. 

"Nani?" he questioned. "Where'd a sleeping bag come from?"

Meredy gave him a weird look. "Weren't you paying attention? Lucy summoned Virgo to get sleeping bags for you guys."

Gray looked around and saw that everyone did indeed have a sleeping bag. "Oh."

Minutes later everyone was in their sleeping back, sitting around the fire. 

Normally Lucy and Jellal would sleep together in a single sleeping bag but decided against doing this in the presence of the new arrivals. 

"Ne, nee-chan?" Wendy asked. 

"Hai?"

"Can you sing us something again?" she questioned. "I've got butterflies in my stomach just thinking about what we're going to have to do tomorrow."

Lucy nodded with a smile. "Sure."

"You're going to sing?" Erza asked, an undertone of bitterness in her voice that only Jellal caught. 

He gave her a warning look, his eyes flashing in anger. 

"Hai," Lucy nodded, not noticing Erza's tone or Jellal's look towards her. "They all say that my voice is soothing."

"It is," Gray said in affirmation. 

Lucy blushed. "Alright," she said in an effort to fight her blush down. "Are you guys ready?"

"Hai!" Wendy and Meredy said in excitement. Jellal and Carla merely nodded with smiles on their faces. 

Everyone else just nodded. 

Lucy took a breath. And then began to sing. 

"Tsuki ni yurete iru 

bokutachi no mirai zuni 

itsu ka kanaeteku. 

"Asu wo ega kuyo 

naku senai 

negai o kizande.

"Namida no kazu ga.

"Dareka no kizu o tsutsumunara 

nani mo kowakuni

nando mo shinji yo."

Jellal, Meredy, Wendy, and Carla were smiling and nodding along to the words as she sang while everyone else was staring at her in awe. 

Even Erza couldn't find anything negative to say about her singing. 

"Hatenai sora ni

ryote hirogete

nakanai yo ni tsuki o

miagete miru. 

"Kanashimi mo

hikari yo bunara 

modorenai to shite mo kamawanai.

"Kagayaita yume ga 

sagasu mirai ni

kakegae no nai omoi 

tsuzui terukara. 

"Doko made mo

aruite yukun da

tada hitotsu kokoro no kagi o.

"Nigirishimete."

**(A/N: I took this song from Fairy Tail. Any guesses?)**

Wendy sighed when Lucy finally stopped singing. "Arigatou nee-san," she said gratefully. 

Meredy and Carla nodded along with Wendy's words. 

Natsu, Gray, Lisanna, and Happy were staring at Lucy in a dumbfounded way. 

Erza, however, noticed that Jellal was staring at Lucy with adoration and another emotion she couldn't place clear on his face. 

She turned away. 

Lucy smiled at everyone. "Alright, Minna," she said through a yawn. "I think we should get some sleep now."

Everyone nodded at her words and lay down on their sides, back, or stomach. 

As Erza lay down and stared up at the now visible stars in the sky, her mind wouldn't forget the image of Jellal staring at Lucy with that amount of emotion on his face. 

As she drifted off to sleep, anger and bitterness took root in her soul.

~wWw~

Enzo raised an eyebrow in what his accomplice Tsubaki just told him. 

"I think something must be wrong with my hearing," he said slowly. "Would you mind repeating what you said to me?"

Tsubaki kept her eyes averted from his blood-red ones. Even though they were partners, when Enzo gets mad, his eyes make him seem like a demon. 

"All of the mages from the light guilds have been brought in except for some members of Fairy Tail," she answered. 

"And which Fairy Tail mages are missing?" Enzo asked softly, but Tsubaki wasn't fooled. A calm Enzo is a dangerous one. 

"Apparently, the Fire Dragon Slayer Natsu Dragneel and his exceed, the Ice-Make Mage Gray Fullbuster, the Requip Mage Erza Scarlet, And the Animal Take-Over Mage Lisanna Strauss," she answered. "The Fairy Tail members known as Lucy Heartfilia and Wendy Marvell, as well as her exceed have been MIA from their guild for two months. Nobody knows where they are."

Enzo sat in silence for a moment, thinking over what was just said to him. Slowly, a smirk appeared on his face until it became a bloodthirsty grin. 

Tsubaki watched him warily. 

_What's making him all tingly _now_?_

"I believe we'll know where those two members are very soon," he said gleefully. "I have no doubt that the four mages you just named to me are with Heartfilia and the little girl. And knowing Fairy Tail members, they won't like having their friends looked up. They'll come to us."

Tsubaki's eyes widened. "You believe that they'll show up here?" she asked. "But four of them can't even use their magic, nor fight at full strength."

Enzo chuckled. "It's _ Fairy Tail. _ They're known for making plans that make sense to no one but themselves," he replied. 

Tsubaki smiled a sadistic smile. "Do they know we'll be expecting them?" she asked, the prospect for a fight making her excited. 

"As I said, it's _Fairy_ _Tail_," he reiterated. He then licked his lips in anticipation. "But that doesn't mean we won't accept them with..._open_...arms."

Tsubaki let out a giggle. And then another. And then another. More and more falling from her lips and soon enough, her deranged laughter echoed off the walls, causing those to hear it have a shiver go down their back. 

~wWw~

Early morning light slanted through the trees on Tenrou Island while a gentle breeze swayed their leaves. 

The sound of the ocean's waves crashing against rocks and fish jumping up to catch some bugs. 

Crickets still chirping while birds were squawking and bigger animals breaking twigs underfoot. 

None of these disturbed the people sleeping around a campfire that had gone out a few hours before. 

Lisanna was on her back, a peaceful expression on her face. 

Gray was on his side, his face turned toward the once-fire. 

Natsu was on his back, his mouth open in a loud snore and Happy was laying on his stomach curled up into a ball. 

Erza was on her side, her face in a frown even as she slept. 

Wendy was also laying on her side with Carla, in her exceed form, was curled up near her head. 

Meredy was on her stomach, her head resting on her folded arms and a small smile on her face. 

Lucy was on her back, an arm curled under her hand while her other hand was on her stomach. However, the person who was laying next to her is gone. 

Lucy must've sensed this, for her eyes started fluttering before she opened them with a groan. 

Blinking her eyes to make them focus, she glanced around at everyone. It was then she noticed that Jellal wasn't next to her. 

Frowning in confusion, she got up and glanced around again. 

Still seeing no signs of him, Lucy made her way to their spot. 

It's a place they discovered three weeks ago that you wouldn't know it's there unless you really looked. A small, crystal blue pond that's surrounded by bushes and trees with leaves so big they block out direct sunlight. Lucy and Jellal go there for privacy sometimes. 

However, Lucy can swear that sometimes the pond would glow with an ethereal sparkle ever so slightly. It's what drew her to it in the first place. 

Making sure not to step on any twigs or dried leaves that'll wake anyone if she stepped on it, Lucy hurried away from the campsite and towards the area where the pond is. 

After minutes of walking through the woods, ducking under branches, stepping over gnarly roots, and pulling leaves out her hair, she finally stepped through the small gap in between some bushes that brought her to their spot. 

Sure enough, Jellal was there, sitting at the edge of the water, and staring into its depths, seemingly lost in thought. 

He was so distracted that he didn't sense Lucy coming up behind him and flinched when she placed a hand on his shoulder. 

"Are you okay?" she asked after he realized it was her. 

"Hai, I'm fine," he said. Lucy wasn't convinced. 

"Jellal, I can tell when you're lying," she said as she sat down next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder and staring out at the water. "Love, what's wrong?"

Jellal sighed deeply and bowed his head. "You don't know this," he said after a moment, "but I saw your future self."

Lucy looked up at him, her head still on his shoulder. "I know, she told us she ran into you."

He shook his head. "No," he denied. "No, I meant...I saw her...I saw her d-dead body."

Lucy gasped in shock and pulled away to stare at him. "You saw her in that hallway?"

He nodded miserably. "Yes," he muttered weakly. "When Meredy and Ultear told me about what they saw when they helped out Natsu, I didn't want to believe it, so I went to where they said she was. And sh-sh-she..."

Jellal started shaking and Lucy gripped his hand and pushed his hair back from his eyes. "I'm right here Jellal," she said, placing his hand on her chest, right where her heart is. "I'm _fine_. What you're going through is just a memory."

He took a shuddering breath and brought her closer to him, kissing her forehead. "She was so _pale_," he said hoarsely. "Her lips were _blue_, and there was dried blood that looked to have dropped from her mouth. And she wasn't _ breathing _!"

Lucy leaned into him as much as she could, trying to console him. "What brought this on?" she asked softly. 

"We're going back, Lucy," he said to her. "We're going back to that place. The same place where I saw your dead body. I just don't...I don't want what happened to her, to happen to you."

"Hey," Lucy moved so she was kneeling in front of him, her hands raised so she could cup his face. He stared back at her with an almost desperate gaze. "I'm not the same person I was back then. I'm better equipped to protect myself, and I can give it back tenfold. I'll be fine."

Jellal stared at her for a moment before closing his eyes. He clutched her wrists and kissed the inside of one of them. "I'm holding you to that."

~wWw ~

"Alright here's the plan," Jellal said as he stared at all of them. It was later in the morning and everyone was up. "We'll get there the same way we got you all here," he said while gesturing to Natsu and Happy, Gray, Erza, and Lisanna. 

"You mean by Carla flying us, Erza, Wendy, and Lisanna riding Pegasus, and you carrying those two," Gray asked while gesturing to the people he was talking about. 

Jellal nodded. "Yes," he said. "Once we arrive at Mercurius Castle we'll split up. Lucy and I will search for the person Carla saw in her vision and the rest of you need to go free everyone."

"I think I should go with you," Erza said as she eyed Jellal. "You'll need all the help you can get and we've worked together before."

"While that may be true, you're too weak right now," Jellal said evenly. "Those runes on your body are not only keeping you from using your magic, but it also saps your physical strength. You'd only get in the way as you are now."

Erza clenched her jaw and looked away. Lucy eyed her shoes and Happy edged behind Natsu. 

After a beat of silence, Lucy spoke up. "If you can, try to free Levy or Freed as soon as possible. They might be able to get those runes of your bodies and allow you to fight back," she said. "But until then, Meredy, Wendy, and Carla will be your backup."

"Carla?" Natsu said in surprise and turned towards the exceed in her human form. "You can fight?"

"Yes," she said curtly. "Capricorn, Lucy, and Jellal all taught me how. Would you like a firsthand demonstration?"

Natsu blinked and took a step back. "Ah nope, I'm fine. Just peachy."

She smirked. 

"We need to go," Jellal imputed. 

Lucy nodded. "Right." She pulled out Pegasus' key and summoned her quickly, allowing Wendy, Erza, and Lisanna to climb on. 

Carla activated her aerial magic, grabbed Happy and placed him on her shoulder, and then grabbed Natsu and Gray by the backs of their shirts. "Here we go again," Gray muttered with unease as he and Natsu were hoisted into the air. 

Jellal wrapped Meredy and Lucy in his arms and activated Meteor, lifting all three into the sky. 

"Let's go," Jellal said. 

They all disappeared in bursts of speed. 

It took them a little longer to get to Crocus than it did to get to Magnolia, especially since there wasn't a dock to land on. 

After what seemed like hours, they arrived in Crocus, right at Mercurius Castle. 

Strangely, there were no guards guarding the entrance, nor were there any sentries at any of the lookouts. 

Carla's eyes narrowed. "This isn't right," she said nervously. "Why aren't there any guards here?"

Lisanna looked around. "Maybe they're all at some emergency meeting?" she suggested weakly. 

Erza shook her head. "This castle is the home of the royal family. There should be people guarding it at all times."

Gray eyed the castle with apprehension. "Do you think they knew we were coming?" he asked. 

"If that's the case we have no time to spare," Jellal said. He turned to Erza, Lisanna, Gray, Happy, and Natsu. "As we said before, Wendy, Carla, and Meredy will accompany you guys to provide backup and protection. Lucy and I will find the guy from Carla's vision."

Everyone nodded, although Erza did it reluctantly. They entered the castle and began moving through the hallways. 

"Wait," Lucy said as they were passing two high, heavy-looking doors. 

Erza looked at her in irritation. "What? We have no time to spare Lucy. We have to save our friends," she said. 

Lucy shot her a look. "I know," she said patiently. "But these doors lead to the dungeon where the cells are located."

"And how would you know that?" Erza asked suspiciously. 

"I know because it's where the guards took me and Yukino," she said. 

Natsu blinked. "Oh right," he said in realization. "I remember these. We had to go through here to get you guys out."

Gray looked at him in irritation. "And you're just now mentioning it," he asked with a scowl. 

"Enough you two," Carla scolded. "We need to go down and free our friends."

Erza nodded. "She's right," she said. "C'mon, let's move."

They nodded, opened the doors, and started walking in. 

Wendy ran up to Jellal and Lucy and enveloped them in a hug. "Please be careful," she said. 

They smiled and hugged her back. "We will," Lucy assured her. 

She gave them both a smile as she pulled away. She then followed everyone through the doors. 

Lucy took a breath and turned to Jellal. "Let's go," she said. He nodded in agreement. 

They began walking deeper into the middle of the castle until they came upon the ballroom the held the party after the GMG. 

Lucy looked around and frowned. "I'm not seeing any sign of anyone," she said. "Perhaps we should check the throne room?"

She turned to Jellal to get his take on her idea but before she could open her mouth, she was pushed hard in the direction opposite him. 

She landed on the floor with a cry. 

Quickly sitting up, Lucy gasped at what she saw. 

Jellal was locked in a standoff with a woman who wore a manic smile on her face. "This is as far as you go," she said with a giggle. 

"Lucy," Jellal said without taking his eyes off the woman in front of him. "Continue on to the throne room. I'll handle this."

Lucy looked at him in slight fear. "But–"

"No buts," he interrupted smoothly. "There's no time. Just go."

Lucy got to her feet and shot Jellal an imploring look. "Be careful," she practically begged. 

"Same to you," he said softly. 

Lucy squeezed her eyes shut before opening them, her stance determined. With one last glance at the two, she hurried away and made her way to the throne room. 

~wWw~

When Lucy left, the woman began to giggle again. "You're going to break her heart by dying you know," she said cheerfully. 

Jellal narrowed his eyes. "We'll see about that," he snarled at her. 

~wWw~

Lucy walked towards the throne room with no small amount of trepidation. 

She balled her hands into fists to keep them from shaking and forced her legs to walk a steady gait. 

When she entered the throne room, she was the epitome of focused and determined. 

A man was lounging on the King's throne. 

"Well well well," he said. "Look what we have here. A lone Fairy. Come to get your wings plucked?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to those of you who were expecting fights in this chapter. Don't worry, there will be some next chapter.
> 
> Oh, and there will be something happening between Lucy and Erza in later chapters. Maybe not what you would expect, but something will happen, I can promise that.


	24. Chapter Twenty-Four

The group of eight hurriedly descended towards the dungeons, expressions of concentration and determination on their faces. Wendy, Carla, and Meredy were all determined to protect everyone, seeing as they were the only ones with the ability to use their magic. 

Soon enough, they all arrived in the dungeon area. It was one long hallway with cells on each side of it. The first couple of cells they came across were empty and devoid of any human habitation. However, after five minutes of searching, they finally came across something that made them both scowl and smile. 

It was a cell that contained four people that were familiar to them. Three men and one petite young woman. All four of them were chained to the wall inside the cell.

The three men were either asleep or unconscious, but the woman was still awake. She didn't notice the group approaching the cell door.

Wendy reached the cell first and gripped the bars. "Levy-san!"

Levy looked up at the sound of her name and shocked colored her expression when she saw who called out to her. "Wendy?" she said in shock. She then took in the rest of the people behind her. "Wait, what's going on?"

"We're going to bust you and everyone else out of here," Wendy said as she backed away.

Levy tried to move towards them but forgot about the chains keeping her against the wall. "Ow!" she said as the chains pulled at her ankles.

"Hang in there Levy-san, we'll get you out," Wendy said. She turned to her best friend. "Let's do it, Carla."

Levy looked over at the young white-haired girl in surprise. "Carla?"

"We'll explain everything once we get you and everyone else out of here," a pink-haired girl Levy recognized as Meredy stated.

Wendy and the white-haired girl - Carla, Levy reminded herself - suddenly kicked the door where the lock was and the door banged open, a gust flowing through the cell as it did. 

The sudden gust of wind woke the other occupants of the cell. "Ugh, what?" Jet groaned out. Droy blinked rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. 

The other man, however, stared at the newcomers in shock. "What in the name of Zeref is going on?" Gajeel snapped. "And who is that?" He nodded his head at Carla. 

She rolled her eyes. "It's starting to get really annoying whenever someone doesn't recognize me," she said disdainfully. 

Gajeel's eyes widened. He knew that voice...and now that he was focusing, her scent was familiar

"Carla?"

"Yes," she said impatiently. "Now let's save the questions for later, or would you rather remained encased in shackles?"

By this time Jet and Droy were lucid enough to realize what was happening, but that didn't stop them from gawking at the newcomers in surprise. 

Wendy approached Levy, raising one of her hands as she went. "Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang!"

She slashed at the chains holding her arms and ankles back, releasing her. Levy sighed as she rubbed at her wrists and smiled at the young girl. "Arigatou Wendy," she said gratefully. 

Erza came in to steady and walk her out of the cell. "Where are we going?" she asked. "We can't exactly just walk people out of the castle and then come back in."

"There's a large room at the end of this hallway," Natsu spoke up. "The air current is flowing strongly that way. The room seems to be as big as the room the party the King threw for us was in all those months ago."

Erza nodded and started leading Levy down the hall. Wendy used 'Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang' again to get Jet, Droy, and Gajeel out of their chains. 

"Why are we so unsteady?" Jet asked as he was released. 

"Those runes on your body not only block you from your magic but they also sap some of your physical strength," Meredy explained as she helped him walk out. "You'll get used to it but since you guys weren't able to move around you still feel pretty weak. It's like when your leg falls asleep; walking around will make the feeling go away."

Jet nodded in understanding, an 'ah-ha!' expression on his face. 

Natsu and Gray (with Happy  _ still _ sitting on Natsu's shoulder, grumbling about not being able to help) assisted Droy along, but Gajeel refused help, even though his legs were shaking slightly. 

"You guys keep going," Wendy said. "Lisanna, Carla, and I will keep freeing people. You guys can come back to help the others when you get done."

"Hai."

The three girls hurried passed the others to another cell. Wendy and Carla kicked the cell door in without looking to see who was in it. Lisanna hurried in and saw three more people chained up. "Wakaba-san! Macao-san!" she exclaimed. "Romeo! Guys, wake up!"

The two older men stirred at her voice but Romeo didn't move at all. Wendy hurried over to him and placed her hands on his shoulders to shake him slightly. "Romeo," she said worriedly. "Romeo, please, wake up."

After a moment he started groaning, his eyes fluttering before they opened completely, showing his slightly dazed eyes. They widened in shock when he saw who it was in front of him. "Wendy?" he breathed out in shock. 

She smiled, tears entering her eyes slightly. "Hi Romeo," she said softly. "We're here to get you guys out."

"You're okay," he said in relief. "I was scared they might've gotten you and the others."

Wendy shook her head. "No, they missed us. We're going to get you and everyone out."

Wendy did her 'Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang' attack again and freed Romeo. She helped him stand up. "Whoa," he said as he felt his legs start to shake a little. "Why do I feel so weak?"

"It's those runes on your body," Wendy explained. "They block your magic and sap your energy at the same time."

"Oh."

"Ow, my head," came Macao's voice. 

"How much did we drink last night," Wakaba muttered. 

"Lisanna, help Romeo," Wendy said to the Animal Take-Over Mage. "I'll free Wakaba-san and Macao-san."

"Hai."

Wendy walked over to the two and freed them swiftly before she helped Macao up and Carla helped Wakaba. "Hey, I've never seen you before," Wakaba said as he stared down at Carla. "What's your name?"

Carla rolled her eyes with a sigh. "Wakaba-san, we'll explain everything as soon as we get you and everyone else safe," Wendy hurried to explain, seeing her friend's frustration.

"Oh, alright," he said. "All I remember is those people from the Magic Council and then everything goes dark. Next thing I know, I’m waking up in this cell."

"Let's just get you, Macao-san, and Romeo to a safe place with everyone else," Wendy said. 

She and the other two walked the three men out of their cell and began to walk them down the hall. 

"Wendy!"

Erza was jogging towards them, Meredy, Natsu, and Gray not far behind her. "We've got them to the room at the end of the hall," Meredy explained. "But there are five other hallways leading away from it too."

"I think that's where some of the other guilds are in cells," Erza interjected.

"I recognized some of the scents coming from those directions too," Natsu added while nodding. 

"We should get Fairy Tail situated first," Lisanna suggested. "After Levy and Freed take these runes off our bodies, we'll be able to fight and defend ourselves better. Then, just in case something happens, we'll be ready."

Erza nodded slowly. "Sounds like a plan," she said. "Gray, Natsu, and I will take these three. You guys go free everyone else."

"Hai," Wendy nodded. 

And their plan went from there. Wendy and Carla went from cell to cell, freeing people from their chains while Erza, Natsu, Gray, Meredy, and Lisanna led them to the room at the end of the hallway. 

The reactions from seeing Meredy, Wendy, and Carla varied. Most were shocked at seeing the normally shy and introverted dragon slayer have an air of confidence that she didn't have before leaving the guild. She now had a glint in her eye, one that said quite clearly, 'I may seem innocent and sweet but if pushed too far, I will take you down - hard.' When people saw Carla, they were in awe at her human form and the amount of magic power they can sense from her. 

Seeing as most of the guild doesn't interact with Meredy enough to know her, there was just a general shock when it came to her. 

In one cell that was holding Mirajane, Elfman, Cana, and Juvia, the three girls were greeted with happiness, joy, and relief that they were safe. Juvia practically threw herself at Meredy to wrap the girl up in a hug when she was freed. 

In another cell, one that held Makarov, Laxus and the Thunder Legion, Laxus ruffled Wendy's hair in a rare act of affection. Makarov literally burst into tears. 

Finally, after thirty painstaking minutes of cutting through chains, freeing their friends, and leading everyone to the room at the end of the hall, Erza explained to everyone what was going on. 

"Kami-sama," Mira breathed out in shock. The others weren't looking so good either. "And now you're saying that Jellal and Lucy are facing the ones responsible for all of this right now?"

Erza’s jaw clenched at the mention of Lucy but nodded her head in answer to Mira's question. Everyone was in awe over the fact that it was Jellal and  _ Lucy _ who were confronting the bad guys. A question running through almost everyone's minds was 'How much stronger did she get?'

"Levy," Meredy spoke up as she walked towards her. "Tell me how to undo the runes on you. Then you can undo the ones on Freed and the both of you can start taking them off of everyone."

"Alright," Levy said in agreement. "That sounds reasonable. Now first, you'll have to..."

Erza turned away from them to gaze at the wall, tuning out their conversation. Her eyes were unseeing as she became lost in her thoughts. 

She hated feeling weak. She hated feeling powerless. The runes on her body prevented her from using her magic; her greatest weapon, and her greatest shield. Not being able to use her magic made her mind wander to the time she was a slave in the Tower of Heaven, unable to help her friends and being forced, day after day, to work until she dropped. The day she staged a rebellion, she found the strength within herself to fight back. She used that strength to inspire others to fight against the injustice of it all. But she failed to save Grandpa Rob, someone she loved, who ended up sacrificing himself for her. 

When she saw someone she cared about to be struck down...when she saw someone she  _ loved _ taken from her, it gave her the ability to use her magic to keep fighting. Her magic wasn't just a weapon though, it was her shield. Her magic allowed her to feel safe from any harm coming to her. Being able to use magic meant that she wasn't weak, and could protect those she holds so close to her heart. 

But now, she's cut off from it, and the only way to access it was to get rid of the runes on her body. She couldn't even help her oldest friend fight the ones responsible for everything.

_ And speaking of Jellal... _

It never occurred to Erza that Jellal could have feelings for someone other than her. It never occurred to her that he could trust someone as he trusted her. And even if it happened, it never occurred to her that it would be Lucy of all people.

She didn't know pain and suffering as she and Jellal did, she doesn't know how to fight for freedom as she and Jellal did. At least, she thinks so. She and Jellal were slaves, while Lucy was living in luxury in a mansion and having her every whim catered to.

_ He says he loves her. How is that even possible? He and I...we have a connection, one I'm pretty sure that they don't have. We've been together since we were children, and they've only known each other since he showed up with Ultear and Meredy that day before the Grand Magic Games started up. So...how is it that he loves  _ her _ , but doesn't love  _ me _ !? It doesn't make any sense! _

"Got it!"

Meredy's triumphant shout broke Erza out of her thoughts and she turned to see a grinning Meredy standing next to Levy; a Levy who doesn't have the runes on her body anymore.

"Wow," Meredy said as she wiped her brow. "That was really tough, especially since I know practically nothing about runes. You're pretty smart Levy."

She blushed. "Well, let's see if it worked," she said as she turned to face the wall.

She thinks it worked, she doesn't feel weak anymore, but it was better safe than sorry. 

Everyone held their breath. They were hoping it worked, because if Levy still didn't have her magic even after the runes were removed from her body...well, they didn't want to think about it. 

Levy sucked in a deep breath before letting it out quickly. "Solid Script: Bullet!"

To her and everyone else's immense joy, the word 'Bullet' appeared in front of her outstretched hand, and energy pellets shot out from it. As soon as the attack was over, everyone let out cheers at the top of their lungs.

"It worked!" Levy shouted among the cheers. "It works! We can get our magic back! Freed, come over here so I can get yours off! If we work together, we can have everyone's off in no time!"

Freed nodded. "Of course!"

Levy quickly got started on taking the runes of a Freed. Unlike Meredy, she was familiar with the art of runes and was able to work quickly through the array on Freed's body. These particular runes were old, used on magical animals centuries ago. So while they were simple, they haven’t been used that much, if at all. 

Finally, Levy was able to get the runes off. "There!" she said as she stepped back. "All done."

Erza stepped towards them. "Take mine off," she said, slightly demanding. "I want to go help Jellal."

Meredy frowned at her. "That's not the plan Erza," she said. "They want us down here to help everyone."

Erza scowled over at her. "Levy and Freed should be able to get these things off of everyone, and then they can help too."

Meredy narrowed her eyes and stepped closer. "Hey," she hissed quietly as Freed went towards Natsu and Levy stepped away so they can have a semblance of privacy. "You need to get it together  _ Titania _ . You wanting to go help Jellal isn't just because you actually want to help him, it's you wanting to prove something."

Erza glared at her furiously but Meredy wasn't deterred. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"I think I do," Meredy retorted. "You've been acting weird around Lucy ever since last night. You found out about her and Jellal, didn't you?"

Erza didn't answer. 

Meredy leaned back and studied her. "That's what I thought. Listen, if you want to be a bitch about it" - Ezra's eyes flashed - "then do it when we're  _ not _ trying to save our friends. Okay?"

Meredy didn't give Erza a chance to explain, turning on her heel and headed back towards Wendy and Carla. 

By this time, Freed had gotten the runes off of Natsu, who was staring at the flames in his hand almost lovingly, and Gray, who has taken his shirt off, and started towards Lisanna, who was standing with her siblings. 

Erza scowled and turned towards Levy. "Take them off," she said angrily. 

Levy hurried to comply. 

Erza gazed around herself as Levy worked. Her eyes ended up landing on Meredy, Wendy, and Carla. Meredy was talking to them about something, but it wasn't hard for Erza to figure out what. As soon as she finished speaking, Wendy and Carla turned to look at her with furious expressions on their faces. 

Erza was surprised that their looks actually sent a  _ shiver _ down her spine. 

"Done," Levy said as she finished. 

Erza nodded, feeling her strength return to her and the familiar hum of her magic in her core. 

Erza looked at everyone as Levy went to help someone else. "I'm going to go help Jellal," she announced, ignoring Meredy's glare and Wendy and Carla's scowls. 

"No, you're not going anywhere."

Everyone whipped their heads towards where the new voice came from.

A black-haired woman with pale skin, black eyes, and red lips stood in front of a group of fifteen other women. They were blocking the hallway where the cells the Fairy Tail members were held in were located.

Erza narrowed her eyes at them. She stepped forward and summoned a sword, inwardly happy that she can do so once again, and demanded, "And just who are you?"

The woman who spoke earlier smirked at the sword pointed at her. "The name's Aiza," she said, her eyes passing over every member of Fairy Tail.

Levy gasped. "Minna," she said, "I recognize that name. She's the guild master of the dark guild 'Black Widow'."

Everyone focused on the woman again as she chuckled. "You're pretty smart girly," she said. "But you people hadn't noticed everything yet."

She pointedly looked away from them and around the room. Everyone else copied her movement and noticed what she was talking about.

The other five doorways that led to the cells of other guilds were also blocked by groups of people. They were surrounded. 

Levy's eyes widened. 

_ All of them are members of dark guilds. What are they doing here?  _

"Now, it's pretty simple," Aiza said in a lazy drawl as she watched the members of Fairy Tail begin to panic. "You lot aren't leaving this place. Can't have you rushing to help your comrades fight our employers, now can we?"

"How'd you know our friends are here?" Levy asked suspiciously. "Especially since you're down here, and not where they supposedly are? If you knew where they were why didn't you or any of your... _ guild mates _ go after them?"

She smirked. "That would be telling, wouldn't it?"

Levy narrowed her eyes at her. But after a moment of neither side doing anything, she figured it out. "Oh no," she uttered in shock.

"What is it, Levy?" Erza asked, not taking her eyes off of the woman in front of her, her sword steady.

"They knew you guys would come and save us," Levy explained in a whisper, only allowing those closest to her to hear. "That's why these dark guild members are down here. They're here to keep us from helping Jellal and Lucy!"

"That's why it was so easy to get in here," Gray said in realization. "They were expecting us."

"We can't stay here!" Natsu protested. "We have to help Lucy!"

"Lucy can take care of herself Natsu," Meredy hissed under her breath at him. "And so can Jellal," - she shot a glare at Erza - "but the other members of Fairy Tail don't have their magic back yet. Who's going to help them if we all leave?"

Natsu scowled but didn't say anything, silently agreeing with her statement. Erza glared at Meredy but she also didn't say anything. She was inwardly cursing her logic, however. As much as she wished she was at Jellal's side right now, she couldn't leave her Nakama defenseless.

Wendy straightened up and glared at Aiza. "Minna," she called out. "We have no choice but to fight them. Carla, Meredy, Erza, Natsu, Gray, and I all have our magic and can fend off the enemy. Levy and Freed, use your magic to get the runes off everyone else. When you get your magic back, you can help the rest of us fend them off."

Most of Fairy Tail was staring at Wendy in shock. They were used to the shy little girl who tended to their wounds after a bar fight. Admittedly, she had shown her capacity to fight in the Grand Magic Games and in the dragon attack. But seeing her like this? Taking charge, ordering people, her eyes having a glint in them that promised pain? This was a Wendy they haven't met yet.

_ Exactly what did she do the last couple of months to change into what she is now? And if she's changed this much, how much did Lucy change? How much more powerful did they become? _

Meredy and Carla were the only ones who weren't shocked by her behavior.

One of the women behind Aiza let out a derisive laugh and stepped forward. "You really think you can take us on, little girl?" she asked condescendingly.

Wendy narrowed her eyes.

Before anyone can so much as blink, Wendy took a breath and said, "Sky Dragon's Roar!"

The members of Fairy Tail were shocked by her boldness. But, they were even more shocked by the nature of her attack. They were used to seeing her roar be a big, twisting, chaotic funnel of wind. However, this time, her dragon's roar was narrow and swift, a tunnel of precise attack. It caught the woman in the stomach and sent her flying back and into the wall with a loud 'THUMP'. She slid down the wall to the floor, a dazed look on her face.

Everyone turned to look at Wendy, shock, or awe or anger or indifference on their faces.

Meredy chose to take charge at that point. "Fairy Tail!" she called out. "Protect your Nakama!"

They didn't hesitate. Meredy, Wendy, Carla, Erza, Gray, Natsu, and Lisanna who got her runes off by Freed, were circling other Fairy Tail members who didn't have access to their magic yet along with Freed and Levy.

Aiza smirked at them. Especially at Erza, who was right across from her.

"Alright Fairy Tail," she said tauntingly. "Let's go to war."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I know I said that there would be fights in this chapter but I decided to end on a cliffhanger and let the fights happen in the next one.


	25. Chapter Twenty-Five

Jellal stood across from his opponent, his eyes narrowed in anger and concentration. 

The woman opposite him stared into his eyes, a smirk on her lips and humor among the lines of her face. "Ooh," she said, her hands waving in front of her mockingly. "Is that 'narrowed and angry eyes' look supposed to intimidate me?" - she snorted - "Please, I've seen scarier looks from my boss."

"Oh?" Jellal raised a brow at her, mocking her as she did him. "Does that mean you've messed up so much that he's always glaring at you?"

She lost the mocking and smirking look that was upon her face to give him a scowl. "Shut up!" she shouted. "Don't act like your so high and mighty-"

"Talk about the pot calling the kettle black."

"Fuck you!"

"No thanks, I have a girlfriend."

The woman sneered and opened her mouth to insult him some more before she paused. She let out a breath and then chuckled slightly. "Oh, I get it; you were trying to piss me off. Not gonna work blueberry," she said, a nasty smile appearing on her face. "I've been doing this for a while. I'll only stop when your bloodied body is underneath my foot."

Jellal didn't respond, his mind trying to come up with a way to put the crazy bitch down. "So," he called out, "what's with the kidnapping of everyone? Ran out people that enjoy your company?"

She bared her teeth in what was supposed to be a grin. "They were in the way," she said smugly. "Members of light guilds can be so annoying. You would know, wouldn't you? I recall you being the head honcho over at the Tower of Heaven before you were defeated by Salamander from Fairy Tail."

Jellal repressed a flinch at her words. Before self-doubt could enter and control his mind, Lucy's voice spoke in his head

_ 'You were basically turned into a puppet and had your strings pulled by Oracion Seis and Grimoire Heart. You never wanted to do any of the things you were forced to, and that's what makes you innocent.'  _

The words Lucy had spoken to him not too long ago kept him from slipping into melancholy and helped him stay composed in front of the woman in front of him. "I was being manipulated," he said with a glare. "I never wanted to do the things I did. I'm  _ glad _ Fairy Tail showed up and knocked some sense in me."

The woman narrowed her eyes. "Well," she said, her voice low, "too bad they're all locked up. No one's gonna come to save you when you start screaming."

Jellal smirked. A golden glow started to emanate from his body. "On the contrary," he said, his smirk stretching wider on his face. "I believe you're the one who's going to be screaming."

The woman smirked as well. She lifted her hands, one of which held a small blade that she dragged across her other palm. 

As Jellal watched on with a shocked expression, the woman put the blade away before pressing her hands together. "We'll see," she said ominously, the smirk growing wider upon her face. 

"Maker Magic: Blood Blades!"

~wWw~

Lucy stared at the man that lounged about on the King's throne as if he owned it. He looked relaxed, completely at ease in his surroundings.

As if there  _ wasn't _ a pissed off mage standing before him.

"You're not 'plucking my wings'," Lucy said with narrowed eyes. "However, you're going to wish you stayed wherever the hell you came from when I'm done with you."

The man raised his eyebrows. "Oh?" he asked. "You're going to 'deal with me' are you?"

Lucy said nothing, her eyes giving him a more fierce glare.

The man got up out of the throne and walked towards her, slowly and with measured steps, like a predator after its prey. "You think you can take me on, little girl?" he asked, his voice dangerously quiet.

Lucy stood her ground. "Yes."

A golden light surrounded Lucy for a few seconds before it died away, revealing to the man that her outfit had changed.

Lucy now wore a sky blue kimono-like shirt with long, wide sleeves under a sleeveless black qipao. The qipao stops mid-thigh and has slits going up both sides that stop at the waist to make leg movement easier. An Obi the same color as the kimono shirt was wrapped around her waist along with knee-high socks of the same color. On her feet were black flip-flops and her hair was done up in two high pigtails, secured by two round pincer-shaped clips.

On her chest was Cancer's sign and in her hands, she carried tow twin blades, reminiscent of scissors.

The man before her merely stared at her outfit change before chuckling. It wasn't a pleasant sound. 

"Well," the man said, "this should be fun."

He lifted both hands and requiped two swords that he gripped tightly. 

He smirked. "On guard, Princess."

~wWw~

Lisanna dodged out of the way of her opponent's attack before quickly getting close enough to knock them out.

Panting a bit after her brief fight with the downed enemy, she quickly glanced around to see how her friends were doing.

It was a complete madhouse. Everywhere she turned her friends were fighting someone from one of the dark guilds. And the messed up part, in Lisanna's opinion, is that none of the dark guild members were super powerful.

Sure, there were some that had impressive magic and battle prowess, enough to give pause to people like Erza, Natsu, and Gray. But overall, there weren't any members that had off-the-charts power.

So why were they struggling? Simple.

They had the numbers.

To Lisanna, it looked like when they took one down, two more took their place. And many Fairy Tail members were tiring. Levy and Freed, in particular, were exhausted, having used their magic not just to fight, but to remove the runes that were blocking the others from accessing their own magic.

Not wanting them to pass out from the drain on their magical cores, everyone told them to get in the center of the protective circle they've got, along with the people who haven't gotten the runes off yet, including Wakaba, Macao, Romeo, and Laki to name a few.

Before they tired out completely, Levy and Freed managed to get the runes off of Natsu, Gray, Erza, Lisanna, Mira, Elfman, Evergreen, Gajeel, Cana, Happy, and Lily. 

The more magic power a mage has, the more energy it took them to take the runes of, so Laxus and Makarov are among those who still have the runes on their bodies.

However, the ones doing really well in taking out their opponents were Meredy, Wendy, and Carla. 

Lisanna had never really seen Meredy fight before so she can't really be shocked by how she was fairing, even if a small part of her was in awe of her using a cool-looking sword and daggers. 

But Wendy and Carla? They were amazing to her. 

Carla, in her human form with her aerial magic in effect, was fighting using her hands and feet and elbows and knees. A couple of times Lisanna saw her out of the corner of her eyes showed her how fluid she moved, her punches and kicks hitting where she wanted, her elbows smashing into the back of heads, her knees plunging into someone's stomach. Sometimes she would use her aerial magic to lift her opponent into the air and then slam them into the ground. She was incredible. 

Wendy, however, took the award of most awe-inspiring performance. It was well known in Fairy Tail that Wendy would rather heal than fight; however, from how she was fighting then, you wouldn't know that. Her reluctance seemed to be a thing of the past. She was fighting ferociously, her attacks hit with precision, and her magic power seemed to swirl around her. Her eyes flashed with an intensity that Lisanna had never seen before as well as a sharp concentration. 

She reminded Lisanna of a dragon. 

"Lisanna, watch out!"

The shout brought her mind back to focus in time to see one of the dark guild members practically on top of her.

_ I won't be able to make it! They're too fast! I can draw on my magic fast enough! I can't- _

A white blur slammed into the oncoming mage and knocked them away from Lisanna. The white blur turned out to be Carla, her aerial wings out and showing Lisanna how she got there so fast. 

She cast the animal take-over mage a glare. "Now is not the time to be getting distracted Lisanna!" she snapped. "Get your head out of the clouds and start  _ fighting _ !"

Dumbstruck by the abrupt rescue and the blunt words, Lisanna could only nod.

After all, the fight wasn't over just yet. 

~wWw~

Jellal used 'Meteor' to dodge out of the way of the woman's attack, landing five feet from where it impacted. 

_ She may be crazy, but she's fast. _

They have been fighting each other for at least twenty minutes, and during that time, Jellal had learned a few things about his opponent. 

Number one, her magic is a type of Maker-Magic that allows her to mold her own blood like Grays molds ice. 

Number two, she knows how to fight without her magic if someone gets close enough but she's not as good as Jellal. 

Number three, she seems to have a high pain tolerance. (I guess she'd have to if she's cutting herself to use her own blood.)

And finally, number four. She likes to see her opponents in pain. The mad cackling she does whenever one of her attacks hit Jellal is more than enough evidence of the fact.

"Maker Magic: Acid Blood!"

Jellal used 'Meteor' again to dodge. The spot where he was previously standing seemed to melt when the woman's attack hit. 

_ Yeah, good thing I dodged that one. I would rather not have my face melted off, thanks. _

With his meteor spell still active, Jellal used it to fly higher into the air.

Raising one hand in the air with two fingers extended and his other hand pointing downwards, Jellal exclaimed, "Heavenly Body Magic: Meteor Shower!"

Many golden beams shot down towards the woman, who couldn't dodge them all. Her screams of pain and frustration echoed in the empty banquet hall.

Jellal landed across from her, deactivating 'Meteor' and waited to see what the woman's next course of action will be. Normally, he wouldn't be having so much trouble with just one mage. However, this woman was no pushover. Plus, most of his powerful spells are not suited to be fighting in a building like the one he's in. If he were on his own he'd risk it. 

But he's not the only one here; Lucy and Meredy and Wendy and Carla and all the other people that are locked up in the dungeons would be in trouble if he went overboard.

The woman snarled at him. "Why won't you stay still!" she shouted, her hand clutching a bleeding cut on her arm. Her cheek had a blue and purple bruise the size of Jellal's fist and she had blood running down her chin from her mouth. 

Jellal himself sported a cut just above his brow and a gash on his leg from one of her blood blades. He also had a sprained ankle from a hard fall and a split lip from a punch he wasn't able to dodge.

Jellal scoffed. "Why the  _ hell _ would I stay still?" he asked, his voice acerbic. "Would _ you _ stay still so I can kick the crap out of you? Are you out of your _ mind _ ? You know what, don't answer that."

The already present scowl on her face grew even more fierce at his redundant statement. "Doesn't matter," she spat. "You're dead, pretty boy. I'll happily gut you with a smile on my face."

She shot forward with a yell, her hands already moving. "Maker Magic: Blood Sword!"

The blood on her hands formed into a sword that she grabbed with both hands and swung at him with a ferocious roar. Jellal barely managed to sidestep her swing before aiming a right hook dead in her face and she flew backward, crashing to the floor. 

Using the sword as a brace, the woman hauled herself shakily to her feet, her eyes glowering at him in rage.

Without breaking eye contact, Jellal turned his head and spat out the blood that was pooling in his mouth. "Try again, sweetheart."

~wWw~

Lucy dodged to the side and narrowly avoided a swing of one of the man's swords. However, she was able to parry his other sword with one of her own. She swung her other sword towards him and he jumped back and out of the way, landing a few feet from her. Lucy herself also jumped back, putting more distance between them.

They've been fighting for a while now, and Lucy had learned a few things about her opponent. For one, he has some kind of blade magic. He can make the blades of his swords either extend pretty far or shrink until they're the size of daggers or knives. However, even though his magic isn't ostentatious like Natsu's or even Erza's, it's deadly to go against. Especially since he was so adapted at wielding his swords.

After all the time they've spent fighting one another, each of them had injuries on their person. The man had several gashes on his face as well as a blooming bruise on his left temple, courtesy of Lucy slamming the butt end of one of her swords there.

Lucy received more cuts and slashes since she'd only been learning how to use the Cancer Star Dress for two months. She has a cut on her cheek right below her eye, multiple slashes on both arms, a slightly deep gash on her leg, and probably a small concussion.

"What is the point of all of this?" Lucy questioned, a little bit out of breath. "Why capture all the light guilds? Take the royal family hostage? Why do  _ any  _ of this?" 

The man huffed out a breath, a smirk pulling at the corners of his lips. "The citizens of Fiore need to know what real chaos is like," he said. "What do you think will happen now that all the light guilds are...occupied?"

"You bastard," she gasped after a moment. "You'd have dark guilds and bandits ravage the country just to create chaos?"

"This world needs chaos," the man sneered. "They need to know what chaos is to truly be at peace."

"You're insane," Lucy spat. "How the hell did you manage to convince  _ anyone  _ of this psychotic plan of yours?"

The man smiled a mean smile. "My partner doesn't care about my agendas as long as she gets to have fun," he said. "And dark guilds don't care about intricate plans as long as they get what they want."

Lucy frowned deeply and didn't respond.

_ This guy may have the ravings of a lunatic but he isn't stupid, not to mention his sword skills might be on par with Erza's and Kagura-san's. I'll need to end this quickly. _

Lucy allowed her magic to flow into one of her silver keys and called upon the spirits silently. 

In a flash of golden light Asterion and Chara, The Hunting Dogs, appeared and immediately charge towards the man, Lucy right behind them.

The two dogs lunged for the man's arms and bit down on them to keep him from swinging his swords while Lucy aimed her own swords at his chest. However, they didn't anticipate a swift kick from the man that caught Lucy in the chest and sent her sailing through the air and landed in a heap on the ground, her swords flying from her hands.

Asterion and Chara still held on tightly to the man's arms though, his own exhaustion not allowing him to use his full strength to through them off. 

That gave Lucy an idea.

She quickly reached down and touched one of the golden keys on her belt, her almost perfect memory allowing her to know the exact key she was holding and sent her magic to it.

She lit up as another Star Dress took hold and when the light dispersed, she once again was in another outfit.

This one was a forest green twin-tailed coat and sleeves that left her shoulders and upper back bare. A pair of green thigh-high boots covered her feet and black tights were worn on her legs. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail at the back of her head with bangs framing her face and the Zodiac symbol appeared on her left shoulder.

In her hands was a golden bow.

The man across from her was still too busy trying to throw her hunting dogs off his arms to notice her changing form.

It didn't last long though.

"Asterion-san! Chara-san! Get down!" Lucy shouted as she drew the string of the bow back, an arrow forming in her hand as she did.

The two hunting dogs didn't hesitate to obey Lucy's orders, letting go of the man's arms and diving out of the way. 

"Shooting Star!" Lucy called out, letting the arrow fly. It turned into a beam of light and slammed into the man's chest, sending him flying as he did to her earlier, and he landed on the ground.

Asterion and Chara remained, circling the man from a distance as he struggled to his feet, spitting blood from his mouth and grabbing the two swords that fell from his hands the moment he landed.

Lucy grimaced as she pulled the bowstring back again.

_ I've exhausted my magic from all this fighting. I need to end this now. _

~wWw~

Wendy frowned as she blasted another dark guild member away from her, the winds of her magic making her hair whip around her face.

For the past five minutes, the blue-haired girl couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.  _ Really  _ wrong.

She tried to ignore it, to keep her attention one-hundred percent on the task at hand, especially since many of her guildmates were tiring.

But the bad feeling only grew, an icy chill that ran down her spine.

Wendy knew she wasn't the only one feeling it either. She's caught both Meredy's and Carla's expressions during the fighting, and she could tell they were feeling the same thing she was; a very acute unease. And Wendy had a nasty feeling it had something to do with Lucy and Jellal.

_ Jellal-nii...Lucy-nee... _ please _ , be careful. _

~wWw~

Jellal dodged out of the way of another blood blades attack and knew he had to end this now. The constant use of his magic, not to mention the energy he's been using fighting without his magic has left him tired, both physically and magically.

There's only one spell he knew that can make this crazy bitch stay down without causing harm to the building and, subsequently, everyone in it.

_ However, there's a reason I don't use it. I haven't used it in seven years. _

Jellal hates the spell that popped into his mind. When he was being mind-controlled, he was forced to use it and it ended up killing his friend Simon. 

However, if he chose to do it now, not as strong as before, but strong enough to keep the woman down, then that meant he could go and help Lucy. It meant he could save the people he has now. And Jellal would like to think that if Simon were here standing beside him, he'd tell him to do it. To do what needs to be done to protect the people he loves. 

And he will.

The woman spoke up. "You thought you were the hero of the story," she growled low in her voice. She spat out more blood before continuing. "Don't you know we all think that?"

Jellal merely narrowed his eyes at her, his mind entirely set on what to do next.

"I may not be the hero of the story," he started to say. He raised his arms and crossed them over his head. All of a sudden all the shadows of the room began to draw towards Jellal, and a small black orb began to form over his head. 

The woman could only look in shock as the black orb grew slightly bigger and tiny white lights similar to stars formed inside.

"But at least I get to see how it ends," Jellal finished saying. 

"Heavenly Body Magic: Altairis!"

And then he threw it at her.

"NO!" she snarled out, getting into her magic stance; but it was too late. The black orb slammed into her and then seemed to implode.

Jellal threw his arms over his face to shield from the sudden gusts of wind. In what seemed like forever, but in reality, it was only a few moments, the winds died down and he uncovered his face.

The woman was down on the ground, blood still gushing from the cuts she made to her hands to go along with even more bruises and cuts littering her body. She didn't get up.

Jellal limped over to her, more mindful of his sprained ankle now that some of his adrenaline was drained away, and reached down to feel for a pulse on her neck.

It was there. Weak and thready, but there.

_ I can't do anything about her right now. I need to get to Lucy. _

Standing back up again, Jellal took a deep breath before looking determinedly in the direction Lucy disappeared to.

_ I'm coming, Lucy. _

~wWw~

Lucy stared at the man that was swaying slightly on his feet, his eyes narrowed and his teeth bared.

"You're going down little girl," he snarled, blood spewing from his mouth and down his chin as he spoke. However, he didn't move towards her, wary of the two hunting dogs circling him and ready to pounce at any movement.

"We'll see about that," Lucy replied. She quickly drew her bowstring back again, summoning multiple arrows as she did. "Star Shot!" she called out as she let them fly.

The arrows flew towards the man at impressive speeds. He tried to dodge, but they followed him like heat-seeking missiles. As soon as they came into contact they exploded, raking up debris and dust around the man and shielding him from Lucy's sight.

For a moment, there wasn't a sound from the dust cloud. Not a shout, a scream, the clang of swords, nothing.

For a moment, Lucy thought she'd won, that  _ she  _ was the one that helped everyone, instead of always having to be the damsel in distress.

But apparently, fate wasn't so kind. In fact, it could be downright cruel.

Because as she stepped forward to see what kind of shape her 'downed' opponent might be in, she heard his voice cry out. "Blade Magic: Sword Extension!"

And before she could blink, there was a flash of silver, a gleam of metal, an  _ agonizing _ pain.

Lucy could only look down in shock at the man's lengthened blade that pierced her chest. 

She heard a loud guttural gasp and slowly turned her head towards the sound to see a bloodied and bruised Jellal staring at her with the most heartbreaking expression she'd ever seen.

Her opponent’s chuckle seemed to echo around the suddenly quiet room, as well as his voice. "I told you," it echoed in amusement. 

The sword was pulled from her chest, seemingly reduced back to its regular size, and disappeared into the dust cloud the was shielding its owner from sight.

Lucy dropped to the ground.

"NO!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to say sorry for the cliffhanger, but...I'm really not :)
> 
> The next chapter should be out soon


	26. Chapter Twenty-Six

_ I am no stranger to death. _

_ The parents I barely remember were cut down in front of me when I was a child. People were killed for showing defiance in the Tower of Heaven. I was forced to kill one of my closest friends while I was being controlled. I saw Future Lucy's dead body with dried blood on her lips. _

_ So I am no stranger to death. _

_ And yet... _

_ I can't seem to realize what just happened. _

_ She's bleeding. _

_ She...she has blood falling from her lips and coating her chest. _

_ She fell to the floor and she wasn't getting up. _

_ Please... _

_ Please don't leave me. _

_ Stay with me. _

_ Just stay with me. _

_ I can't lose you, too. _

~wWw~

_ I am no stranger to death. _

_ My mother died when I was a child. My father passed away while I was trapped on Tenrou Island. My future self died taking a blow meant for me. _

_ So I am no stranger to death. _

_ But there's this foreign feeling of coldness underneath all the pain that's seeping through my body. _

_ I can't seem to move my limbs. _

_ My mouth refused to say the words I want to speak. _

_ There's this numb feeling spreading throughout my body. _

_ But I have no problem seeing, and hearing, and smelling. _

_ I can hear him shouting and calling my name. _

_ I can see him leaning over me. _

_ I can smell the salt of his tears and the distinctive metallic and iron smell of blood; I don't know if it's his or mine. _

_ I don't want to die. _

_ I don't want to leave my friends and my family. _

_ I don't want to leave _him_. _

_ But...I don't think the decision is in my hands. _

_ Mom...dad...I'm not ready to see you guys yet. _

_ Please, let me stay. _

~wWw~

Pain.

All-consuming, blackout-inducing, agonizing pain.

Lucy had never felt pain like this before in her life.

Not when Gajeel had beat her up when he was the enemy.

Not when she destroyed the Thunder Palace over Magnolia and got electrocuted in return.

Not when Zero from Oracion Seis attacked her and the others.

Not when Hades beat her and the others down.

Not even from the beating that she took from Minerva.

All of the injuries she took those times, all the hurt that was inflicted on her...

_ Paled _in comparison to what she was feeling then.

It was like everything within her was on fire, with her chest being the source of the inferno.

She felt like she couldn't breathe.

_ Was _she even breathing? She didn't know. At that moment, all that existed was the pain. 

Lucy remembered the blade entering her chest, remembered Jellal's horrified face as he came upon the scene, remembered when the blade was yanked out of her, remembered dropping to the ground, remembered Jellal's agonizing scream as he rushed to her...

But all she knew at the moment was the pain. 

Where was she now? Where did Jellal go? What happened to the person who stabbed her? Asterion and Chara? Did they go back to the spirit world? What was going on? 

Why...why was she getting tired? 

_ Please, what's going on? _

~wWw~

Jellal doesn't know how he got to Lucy's side. 

He saw the blade entering her chest before it was cruelly yanked out. 

He saw her blood starting to stain the chest area of the outfit she was wearing. 

He saw her drop to the ground and saw that she didn't move. 

And then he screamed and was suddenly by her side, collapsed to his knees. 

"Oh god," he gasped as he turned her into her back. Red was spreading across her chest rapidly. "Oh god, no. No, no no, no. This isn't happening."

Lucy was gasping desperately, choking on her own blood, some of it dribbling from the corners of her mouth and down her face. Her wide eyes were staring unseeingly up at his face. 

Jellal felt his heart began to break. 

"No," he choked out. "No. You don't get to leave me. Not like this. The only way I'll let you leave is if you break up with me. You don't get to leave me like this."

He hurriedly pressed a palm on her chest in an effort to staunch the flow of blood - (_ oh my god there's so much blood why is there so much blood _) -

"Lucy, please," he begged her. "Hang on, okay? I need you to hang on for me, I need you to do that."

She didn't answer him. She was still gasping for air and blood was still dribbling down her face. A puddle of her blood was beginning to form underneath her body, staining the floor a dark red. 

Jellal could feel the tears rolling down his cheeks and saw them splash against her face, but couldn't find it within himself to give a damn. 

"Hey," he whispered to her. "Hey, y-you promised m-me. You p-p-promised...you promised m-me. Y-You said you'll b-be f-f-fine. S-So...so w-why are yo-you bl-bleeding so m-much?"

The sound of Lucy gurgling on her own blood would haunt Jellal for the rest of his life. The sight of her blood all over his hands would give him nightmares till the end of time. The smell of her blood would cause Jellal panic for years to come. 

The sobs that were escaping out of his mouth made it hard for him to speak to her. It made it hard for him to beg with everything he has. His sobs made it hard for him to say everything he ever wanted to say to her, and everything he had planned on saying for as long as they both shall live. 

Jellal raised the hand that wasn't pushing down on her stab wound to cradle her face as gently as if she were made of glass. "I love you," he whispered to her, the heartbreak he was feeling clearly heard in his voice. "I-I-I - do you know how much I l-love y-you? Hell, I-I don't know ho-how to p-put it into words. I just kn-know that I-I can't lose you. _ I can't_. S-So please... _ please _hang on. _ Please_. I c-can't lose you. _ Please don't leave me _."

Mocking laughter sounded at the end of his tirade, and Jellal managed to drag his tear-filled eyes away from Lucy's face to look at the source. 

The _bastard _who _dared _to harm Lucy so grievously was on his feet, the dust cloud dispersing around him. He hadn't moved from where he had been after he attacked Lucy, kept in place by the warning growls of the not-yet-dismissed Celestial Spirits.

"Would you look at that," he sneered. "The Little Fairy had her wings yanked off, and now she's helpless. After all, everyone knows that a downed fairy is a **dead** fairy."

Jellal glared at the man as he aimed a smirk in their direction. 

_That asshole_...hurt _Lucy!_ _He made her_ bleed! _He tried to_ kill _her! I am going to_**_ kill him!_**

~wWw~

Meredy has been feeling...off, for lack of a better word, for a while. At first, she couldn't pinpoint the cause for her feelings, especially since she was mostly focusing on the fighting around her. 

But the feeling hadn't gone away; it had been getting stronger and stronger the longer the fighting has been going on. It was nagging at the back of her mind trying to get her attention. 

When the fighting had started to wind down and not be as oppressive as it was at the start, it became harder for Meredy to ignore the feeling at the back of her mind. And what made it even worse was the fact that she caught uneasy looks on the faces of both Wendy and Carla.

The fact that it was Wendy and Carla made her even more anxious. The things they had in common were not many.

The _people _they had in common weren't a lot either.

So it was understandable that she was anxious. 

Finally, as the feeling started to become unbearable, she found herself fighting side-by-side with Wendy while Carla watched their backs. 

"Do you feel it, too?" Meredy muttered to her under her breath. 

"It's hard to ignore," Wendy murmured back. There was an underlying tone of fear in the Dragon Slayer's voice that she was trying to hide but Meredy, who spent the last couple of months with the young girl, could easily hear the tremble in her speech. She sent a roar at an approaching mage before she continued speaking. "Meredy, the last time I've felt like this way, was when we were confronted by Future Rogue."

Meredy flinched after she said that, thinking back to when Wendy and Carla had explained that particular confrontation.

_ Future Lucy ended up dead. _

Unable to stomach the thought of any more of her honorary family leaving her forever, Meredy said, "Go to them, Wendy. See if they need any help. The fighting has tempered down here and should be wrapped up soon, so I think it should be okay to slip away."

Wendy turned her head to glance at her, eyes wide. "Are you sure?" she asked, uncertain. "But what about you and Carla and -"

"We will be fine, child," Carla interjected smoothly, as she executed a perfect roundhouse kick on someone trying to sneak upon them. "Go. Go and help our family."

Wendy hesitated a moment more, reluctance clearly written across her face before her eyes hardened and she gave a firm nod.

She turned and hurriedly dashed towards the hallway they came from, only pausing once to aim a punch an approaching Mage in the stomach. 

After that, she quickly made herself scarce. 

Meredy and Carla both nodded at each other before jumping back into the fray. 

_ Good luck Wendy. _

~wWw~

Wendy ran through the dungeon hallway so fast she was creating gusts of wind in her wake. 

In almost no time at all, she burst out of the dungeons and started running in the direction she thought the throne room was. 

_ Why did Meredy and Carla and I all feel... _ different_, all of a sudden? Why did the feeling keep getting stronger as more time went on? _

_ ...and why does this awful feeling curling in my stomach tells me it has something to do with Lucy-nee and Jellal-nii? _

After Wendy burst through a set of double doors she vaguely recognized, she paused in shock at the scene in front of her.

It was the ballroom that the King had hosted the party for all the guilds involved in the Grand Magic Games. It was also a sort of 'thank you' to everyone who fought off the smaller dragons so that citizens could get to safety and the Dragon Slayers could deal with the bigger ones.

But what had Wendy pausing in shock was the state of the room.

It looked nothing liked it did all those months ago, decorated nicely with delicious food spread out all over the place and fancy tables placed sporadically around the room. Now, it looked like a warzone had torn through. The walls had holes in it with cracks running in between them and the floor was ripped up in some places, blackened in others, or just completely destroyed.

And in the middle of it all, was a woman crumpled on the ground. There were cuts all along her arms and legs and even on her face to go along with a bunch of bruises.

Wendy hurried over and knelt down next to the woman before placing two fingers at her pulse point.

It was there but it was weak.

Wendy frowned.

_ Who is she? And what happened here? Was she fighting someone? Who was the other person? And...what side was she on? Mine...or the other? _

Wendy would have pondered further, except she heard a great smashing sound coming from somewhere beyond the ballroom. She was up and running towards it without hesitation, the terrible feeling in her stomach reaching its boiling point.

As she got closer, she kept hearing more noises that sounded like a battle. The floor beneath her shook, not enough to make her stumble but enough to be noticeable. 

When she got outside the door that led to the room the sounds were coming from, she recognized it as the entrance to the Throne Room.

She took a deep breath before she bolted inside...

...and immediately halted in her tracks.

The sounds that she was able to hear all the way in the ballroom was Jellal and another man fighting one another.

Jellal was lashing out at him, his attacks uncoordinated and sometimes missing by a wide portion as he chased him around the room. His face was set in an uncharacteristic snarl and his eyes seemed to promise murder.

In contrast, the man Jellal was fighting had a cutting smirk set in his lips and his eyes were practically _mocking _as he dodged his attacks. 

Both men were injured in various ways, their blood dripped onto the floor.

But what had horrified Wendy so much that she had stopped in her tracks was the scene the lay a few feet from the fighting males.

Lucy was on the ground, a puddle of blood beneath her, with her chest seeming to be the source of it all. It was moving up and down erratically, not evenly as Wendy knew it moved when she was sleeping. Blood was dripping from her mouth and her eyes were open, staring unseeingly at the ceiling.

What completed the nightmarish scene was the ragged breathing coming from her and The Hunting Dogs, Asterion and Chara, guarding her against possible threats.

Ignoring the two fighting males, Wendy moved towards Lucy as if in a trance. When she got closer, the two dogs looked up and moved slightly out of the way.

"Nee-san?" Wendy whispered as she knelt down next to her. She barely noticed the blood touching her legs. "Lucy-nee?"

Lucy didn't respond. She didn't even give any indication that she heard her.

Wendy felt tears dripping down her face as she regarded her older sister.

_ How did this happen? How did Lucy become this injured? She was supposed to be _fine_! _

Wendy took a deep breath before she called upon her healing magic and held her hands above Lucy's chest.

_ I can do this. I _ need _to do this. I'm the only one who can. Lucy needs me right now. She needs me to be her healer, not her sister. I need to stay focused. _

_ Otherwise...I'll lose her. And _that _is not an option. _

Wendy looked down at Lucy as she worked, struggling to not lose her composure and concentration.

"You have to hang on, okay?" Wendy whispered brokenly to her as the sound of the men fighting seemed to fade to the background. "We all still need you nee-san. So hang on, please?"

~wWw~

_ Lucy blinked her eyes opened and frowned as she looked around herself. It looked as if she was floating in an infinite space with no stars. _

_ The only source of light around her was the ten smalls balls of golden light that were gathered in front of her in a semicircle. _

_ She couldn't remember where she was or what she was doing before she came here - wherever here was. She remembered fighting someone, and then...nothing. _

_ "Hello?" Lucy called out uncertainly. She looked at each of the light sources in shock, but for some odd reason, she didn't fear them. They felt familiar but for some reason, Lucy couldn't put her finger on why. _

_ "Hello?" she tried again. _

_ This time, there was a response, just not one she was expecting. _

_ One of the golden balls of light flew towards her and she instinctively shut her eyes against it. _

_ But she didn't feel anything. _

_ When she opened her eyes again, she reeled back in shock. _

_ Instead of seeing the darkness of where she was before, she appeared to be in a forest. _

_ Lucy looked around herself in confusion, wondering where the hell she was. It looked familiar as if she had been here before, but couldn't think of the location. _

_ Suddenly she heard people shouting, but couldn't make out what they were saying. She cautiously made her way toward the voices and kept her guard up, just in case. _

_ When she finally got there, she froze in shock. _

_ What she saw in front of her was confusing. _

_ She saw _herself_. Taurus was pinning her to the ground and there was a pink-haired girl on a ledge overlooking the scene. _

_ "I remember this," Lucy said in shock. _

_ "Well of course you do," a voice said next to her. _

_ Lucy turned and was shocked, again, when she saw Taurus standing next to her, staring at the scene. _

_ "Taurus?" _

_ He didn't turn to her. "I remember this really well," he said. "The moo-ving speech you gave to me was very inspiring." _

_ That's when he turned and looked at her. A small, genuine smile lit up his face, an expression not normally seen on the perverted cow. "That was the first time you really trusted me." _

_ Lucy stared at him, then the scene before them, before looking back at him again. "Why are you showing this to me?" _

_ The scene before them seemed to ripple and begun to disappear, with Taurus along with it. A second before it was gone completely, Taurus' voice rang out, "To show why you are my Celestial Wizard." _

~wWw~

_ Lucy blinked and she was back to where she was. Except now, there were nine floating lights in front of her. Not ten. _

_ "My Spirits?" she questioned herself. _

_ But before she could think about it more, one of the lights sped toward her. This time, she didn't flinch back or close her eyes. When it collided with her, her surroundings changed again. Only this time, it wasn't a forest, like before. It was the ruins of a large boat, smoke was everywhere and the deck was torn up in places. _

_ Lucy knew immediately what memory was before her. _

_ "When Natsu, Gray, Erza, Wendy, and I fought against Hades," she said as another her appeared from the dust cloud. _

_ "Yes," someone said to her left. "The first time you called me to help you." _

_ Lucy turned to him with a smile. "You helped me save my friends." _

_ "The first time of many," Capricorn agreed. _

_ As the memory continued to play out in front of them, Lucy couldn't help but ask, "What is going on? Why...why am I being shown my memories?" _

_ "To help you understand." _

_ "Understand what?" _

_ Capricorn merely smiled. The scene before them began to dissipate as the fight began to come to a close, Capricorn going with it. Before it did completely, Capricorn said to her, "To understand the decision." _

~wWw~ 

Sweat was running down Wendy's face as she worked but she refused to stop. Lucy needed her then. She needed her to concentrate so that Wendy could save her.

Jellal and the other man were still fighting. (Well, more like Jellal was attacking in a murderous rage and the other man was just dodging around him.) Asterion and Chara hadn't dismissed themselves yet, content with protecting Lucy and Wendy while they were vulnerable.

Lucy was breathing easier than when Wendy had first started healing her, but she was still badly injured.

Wendy's eyes hardened in determination.

_ I'll keep going until you're safe from dying Lucy-nee. You're going to be _fine_. I'll make sure of it! _

~wWw~

_ Lucy was watching a different memory. She was in another forest, only this time, she was in a river, fighting another Celestial Mage who had Gemini. She used them to transform into her and fight her. _

_ "Piri-Piri," two voices said behind her. Lucy turned and saw Gemini floating there. "We never minded working with Angel. We had thought that all Celestial Mages were like her and didn't see anything wrong with what she had us do." _

_ They floated towards her and didn't stop until they were standing beside her, watching the memory play out. "That is until she has us turn into you, Piri-Piri," they said. "We saw how you treated your own spirits, and we couldn't hurt you. We wanted to feel what the rest of your spirits felt." _

_ "And what was that?" Lucy questioned. _

_ Before they could answer, once again, the memory had begun to dissolve and Gemini began to fade. Before they both went away completely, she heard Gemini call out, "The love of a friend." _

~wWw~

_ Lucy was back in the infinite darkness. There was only one light left, for she had already seen nine memories involving her spirits. _

_ Lucy was confused by it all. In each memory she had witnessed, she was seeing herself and one of her spirits fighting together, working things out together, or in the case of Scorpio, Gemini, and Aries, meeting for the first time. _

_ And each time the memory ended, her friends (Aquarius didn't call herself Lucy's friend but Lucy stiles cared for her) left her with a cryptic message that made no sense to her. _

What was the point of all of this? What is going on? And where was I before I was pulled to...this place?

_ Finally, the last light sped towards her. Like all the others, it engulfed her before the view in front of her changed. _

_ This time, she was looking at a narrow strip of land that was surrounded on three sides by large waterfalls. At the end of the narrow walkway, was what looked to be an elegant grave marker and someone was kneeling in front of it. _

_ Lucy knew immediately who it was and where this memory took place. As she felt someone move to stand beside her, she said, "You know, you really scared me then." _

_ "I know," the person said. "It wasn't my intention." _

_ Lucy smiled. "I know." She turned to look up at her companion, the smile slowly fading from her lips. "What is going on here Loke?" _

_ Loke turned to face her with a smile. He didn't answer, merely put a finger to his lips in a 'shush' gesture, before turning to look back at the memory. _

_ The memory played out as Lucy remembered. Lucy came and confronted Loke, Loke told the truth about himself, The Spirit King showed up and then Lucy shouted at him as she called upon all of her spirits. _

_ As the memory came to a close, Lucy turned to Loke once more. "Please, Loke," she all but begged him. "Please, tell me what's going on." _

_ As her surroundings began to disappear, for the last time as it was the final memory, and Loke began to fade away with it, she heard him say, "He'll explain it to you." _

~wWw~

_ Lucy was, once again, back in the endless space, only this time, there weren't any light sources. It was so dark, she couldn't see her own hand when she held it in front of her face. _

_ "Hello?" she called out. "Hello!? Can anyone hear me!?" _

_ For a moment, nothing happened. But just before Lucy could totally break down, there was a flash of light so blinding that she had to close her eyes and turn away for a second. When she finally looked back and couldn't stop the gasp that flew from her lips. _

_ In front of her floated The Celestial Spirit King himself. "Mustache face," she murmured to herself. _

_ The King bestowed her a smile. "Well, it seems you have gotten up to a lot since the last time I've seen you." _

_ Lucy couldn't think of anything to say other than, "Uh, yeah." She cringed after those words left her mouth. _

_ But the King merely chuckled. Lucy gathered her courage to ask what was on her mind. "Uh, sir, umm...I wanted to ask you-" _

_ "-why were you shown those specific memories?" he finished for her. _

_ She nodded. _

_ "Heartfilia-san," he said. "Do you remember what you were doing prior to coming here?" _

_ Lucy thought back, trying to remember. She knew that she was fighting someone, someone dangerous. She was fighting him by herself with the occasional help from her spirits. _

_ She thought she had won. She thought she had finally done something on her own and proved that she was no damsel in distress. But that was before her opponent - _

_ Lucy opened the eyes she didn't remember closing with a shocked gasp. Her hands groped at her chest but felt nothing wrong. _

_ He had stabbed her. Right in the chest. _

_ And Jellal was there too. He saw her get stabbed after she had told him that she would be fine. _

_ "Ah," came the voice of The Spirit King. "I see you remember the events that caused you to end up here." _

_ "Your Highness," Lucy said hurriedly, "I mean no disrespect but I must get back." _

_ "I know you must," he replied. "But before you go, I must explain a few things." _

_ Lucy nodded, knowing the sooner he was finished talking, the sooner she could back. _

_ "This place that you find you and myself in," he said as he gestured around them, "is merely a place in your subconscious. I called you here, using the bonds you have with my subjects so that you could understand." _

_ "Understand what?" _

_ "Why it is I am giving you a special gift," he answered. "Tell me Ms. Heartfilia, what did you take away from the memories that were shown to you?" _

_ Lucy took a moment to think. "Well," she said as she thought. "Each memory they showed me was about me and whoever was showing me the memory." _

_ "And?" The King prompted. _

_ "So," Lucy responded slowly. "Each memory was about my bond with them?" _

_ "Precisely," he said with a smile. "You are unlike any Celestial Mage that we've seen in years. You actually care about your spirits and count them as your friends. And while Celestial Mage Yukino Agria also seems to care a great deal about her spirits, as did your mother, you have gone above and beyond what is expected of a Celestial Mage." _

_ Lucy felt her cheeks heat up the longer The King spoke. It's not like she tried to be different, it just didn't sit right with her to treat her spirits like they weren't their own person with wants or feelings. _

_ "And this is why I've decided to gift you with this," The King finished speaking. _

_ The King held his hand out with his palm facing upwards and a ball of light appeared, hovering above his palm. _

_ "What is that?" Lucy asked in awe. The ball of light was a mass of different colors, always changing never settling on a single one. _

_ The King didn't answer, he merely smiled secretively. "You'll know when you open your eyes," he said mischievously. _

_ The ball of light suddenly flew from his palm and engulfed Lucy as the others did. Only this time, it didn't take her to one of her memories of her and one of her spirits, it merely surrounded her with its light. _

_ As the light began to glow brighter, Lucy squinted her eyes and shouted cheerfully, "Thanks Mustache Face!" _

_ He let out a deep chuckle before the light got too bright for her, and she shut her eyes. _

~wWw~

Jella was ferociously attacking the man before him.

The man who injured Lucy. Injured her enough that she was close to death.

His anger and grief had blinded him to rationality. The only thoughts running through his mind were:

_ He hurt Lucy! _

_ He tried to kill her! _

_ She could be dead! _

His feelings were overwhelming him and he could barely focus on anything as he launched attack after attack at the man who harmed the woman he loved more than his own life.

Jellal overreached on a punch and his opponent took that opportunity to sweep him off his feet. Jellal landed hard on his back, the air knocked out of him. He looked up to see a sword aimed at his face, its owner panting hard with exhaustion like Jellal himself was but had a smug smile on his face.

"Aw," he said mockingly in the face on Jellal's fierce glare. "Don't be too mad. Think about it this way; you'll be able to see your girl again."

Jellal only glared harder.

His smile only widened. "Goodbye, it wasn't nice knowing you," he said as he prepared to swing at Jellal's neck.

A burst of bright light stopped him, shining so brightly that both Jellal and his opponent couldn't see for a moment. When the light died down a little, Jellal looked to wear it was still glowing.

And felt his heart stop.

Because at the center of the brightly glowing light stood Lucy.

And she looked like a Warrior Queen.

She was wearing a sleeveless dark blue dress that had a slightly flared skirt and reached an inch beneath her knees. Over the dress, she wore a gold breastplate and a gold chainmail belt was wrapped around her waist. On her hands were gold armored gauntlets and on her feet were black boots with gold laces that went to just below her knee.

Her hair was down and fell to the middle of her back. A golden crown with jewels the same color as the dress was atop her head and a necklace with a gold chain and a jewel to match the ones in the crown was around her neck. 

She looked stunning, beautiful even.

But what stood out to Jellal was the fact that she was standing tall, with no trace of blood on her.

_ She's alive... _

On the ground near her feet, Wendy (and when did she get here, a part of Jellal wondered) was staring up at Lucy with equal parts shock and elation.

The Hunting Dogs that Jellal had just noticed were flanking Lucy like honor guards.

Jellal's opponent no longer held a sword at him, he was too busy staring in obvious shock at the sight of Lucy, his sword held slack in his hand.

And Lucy herself merely opened her eyes, for they were closed against the world.

She looked down at herself and smiled and Jellal felt his heart stutter in his chest at the sight of it.

"So this is what he meant," she said quietly into the shocked silence.

Jellal had no idea what she was talking about, and at that moment, he didn't particularly care. She was alive, that was all he could focus on.

Lucy looked over to the man who previously held Jellal at swordpoint and her features hardened into stone. "You have committed countless crimes against the people of Fiore," she said, her voice strong and ringing with a kind of power that sent a tingle down Jellal's spine. "You shall rot in a jail cell for the remainder of your years."

"Oh yeah?" the man snarled. Jellal could see slight trembles in his body that portrayed his nervousness though. "And who's going to make me? You? That didn't work out so well the last time."

Lucy sent him a cold smile. "Oh, but I'm not threatening you. I'm merely stating what's going to happen."

With that said, Lucy closed her eyes and spread her arms slightly, like a bird about to take flight.

The golden light that was already surrounding her grew brighter as she started chanting a spell.

_ "Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens... _

_All the stars, far and wide... _

_Show me thy appearance... _

_With such shine. _

_Oh, Tetrabiblos... _

_I am the ruler of the stars... _

_Aspect become complete... _

_Open thy malevolent gate. _

_Oh, 88 Stars of the heaven... _

_Shine! _

_Urano Metria!” _

"NO!" the man shouted as he lunged to where Lucy was standing, but he was too late. The golden light grew as bright as the sun and shot towards the man, overwhelming him with Lucy's magic power and overpowering him completely.

The man was flung towards the wall, where the back of his head cracked against the surface hard enough that it was heard by everyone in the room. He slid down the wall and landed on the floor, slumped over sideways in a faint.

Everything was quiet for a while as everyone digested that everything was over.

Their reverie was broken when Lucy staggered slightly and hunched over a little. "Dammit," she groaned into the quiet, "that took more out of me than I thought."

After the words left Lucy's lips, Jellal was scrambling off the ground and rushing over to her. His arms came up and wrapped around her tightly as he crushed her to him. The tears finally fell when he felt Lucy hug him back just as tightly. "You're alive," he said, a hitch in his voice. "This is real. You're okay. You’re still here."

Lucy sagged into him. "I am so sorry," she said softly, her own voice wobbly. He felt her tears on his neck where she buried her face in as soon as she could. "I didn't mean to get stabbed. I didn't mean for any of it. I am_ so sorry _ you had to see me that way."

Jellal had flinched slightly when she mentioned her stabbing but he only responded by hugging her more tightly to himself. "No one had control of that," he managed to get out. "No one but the bastard who did it to you. You handled yourself just fine and managed to defeat the big bad. I am _ so _ proud of you."

That's when the floodgates opened. Lucy sobbed hard and sagged harder against Jellal, her chest heaving with the force of her sobs. Jellal felt another set of arms come around them and let one of his arms hug Wendy - who else would it be? - close to them.

He felt her small body shake with sobs as she buried her face into Lucy's side. Lucy also had an arm wrapped around her as all three of them cried.

Jellal knew that the sight of Lucy covered in blood and struggling to breathe would haunt him for a long time. He knew it would haunt Wendy too, for the young girl saw Lucy as an older sister.

But right then, hugging each other close enough to feel them breathe, it might be enough to settle the nerves.

For now.

~wWw~

Meredy sighed in relief as the final enemy fell.

There weren't any more dark guild members left to fight. They were all knocked out or tied up tight enough to not cause trouble. 

Everything was fine.

Carla stayed with her as they went around to make sure that everyone was okay. Besides the slight exhaustion due to their magical drain, the most serious wound someone had was a gash on their arm.

"It doesn't look too bad," Carla said as she straightened away from Lisanna. "When Wendy gets back she can fix you up straight away. Or-"

"Wait a minute," Erza, who was standing a few feet from them, interrupted them. "What do you mean 'when Wendy gets back'? Where is she?"

Meredy moved so that she was slightly in front of Carla. "She went to go check on Lucy and Jellal," she said as she crossed her arms.

Erza scowled as she stepped closer to them. "You mean to tell me that you let her go help them but snapped at me when I tried to do the same?"

Everyone began to stare at them, drawn to the argument by Erza's loud voice.

Carla frowned at her. "That was different Erza," she snapped. "You were needed in the fight and Wendy's strength, despite being more powerful than she was a few months ago, lies in her healing magic."

Erza's scowl deepened. "Hypocrites, both of you," she stated angrily. People around her began to back away slowly as her anger mounted. "You weren't thinking about trying to help our friends, you just didn't want me near him. So you came up with some stupid reason to keep me here and then sent Wendy while everyone was distracted."

Meredy stared at her incredulously, and she could practically _feel _ Carla's disbelief slightly behind her.

_ Did Erza have a few of her screws knocked loose during the fight? Does she even hear the words coming out of her mouth? _

Erza was still talking. "You tell me that we should keep all of our focus here and let Jellal and Lucy fight by themselves because they can handle it. But then you send Wendy to go help them the moment my back was turned," she finished, her hands clenched on her arms from where she was still crossing them. "Pot, meet kettle."

Meredy has had enough. "Bitch, meet fist," she snarled.

Erza frowned. "What do you-"

**BAM!**

Everyone gasped as Erza's head snapped back and she fell to the floor. The exhaustion from fighting coupled with the fact that she didn't get much sleep the previous night meant that she was knocked unconscious, blood dripping from her nose.

Meredy was breathing heavily with her arm still outstretched from when she punched the redhead girl. Her knuckles were aching slightly but in her opinion, it was totally worth it.

She took a deep breath to calm herself before she stepped back and started rubbing her knuckles, glancing around as she did. _ Everyone _was staring at her in shock, fear (Natsu and Gray), awe (Romeo, Makao, and Wakaba), and even respect (Levy, Gajeel, Mira, and Laxus).

Mostly, however, everyone was staring at her with shock. When she turned to face Carla, Meredy saw that she had a smug smile on her face as she stared at the unconscious requip mage.

Meredy let out a sigh. "Carla and I are going to find Jellal, Lucy, and Wendy," she said. "You guys can get the other guild members out of the cells without us, right?"

There were rapid nods.

"Good." Meredy turned and headed towards the exit. "C'mon Carla."

"I'm right behind you," she said. She flashed everyone a smile that had too many teeth in it to be friendly before turning on her heel to follow Meredy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I think that this is probably the best chapter I've written so far :)


	27. Chapter Twenty-Seven

"You enjoyed that, didn't you?" Meredy asked her companion in amusement. 

Carla's smile, which hadn't gone away since they left the dungeons, grew wider. "What gave me away?" She inquired sweetly, causing Meredy to laugh. "But really, I was glad you finally put her in her place. Don't get me wrong; I sort of respect Erza. But the way she's been acting lately, it's-"

"Controlling? Spiteful? Petty? All of the above?" Meredy asked wryly. 

"The last one."

Meredy couldn't help but laugh again as they made their way through the corridors of the castle. However, her amusement tapered off when they entered a ballroom Carla said held a party for all the guilds last year.

"What the hell?"

The place looked like a storm blew through it.

The floor was torn up in places, torched in others; the wall had scratches and grooves etched in, while in some areas, holes in others, the wallpaper was utterly torn away, and in the middle of it all was a woman lying in a crumpled lump upon the floor. There wasn't any sign of anyone else. 

"Oh, my Kami-sama, " Carla exhaled, shock clear in her voice. "What happened here?"

"Nothing good I'd imagine," Meredy said as she approached the prone figure. She pressed two fingers against her neck. "She has a pulse, but if she doesn't get medical attention soon, I don't think she'll make it."

"You reckon she was fighting for the other side?" Carla quizzed as she continued to look around.

"It's probably likely," Meredy surmised as she stood from her crouch. "The question I want to know though is who fought her; because she seriously got her ass kicked."

"Let's just proceed to look for Jellal and Lucy," Carla said after a moment of contemplation. "Wendy should be with them as well."

Meredy didn't disagree, so they set off again. 

After a few more minutes of walking, Carla's ears twitched as something caught her attention. 

"I hear something," she said into the quiet. 

"What is it?" Meredy asked as her body automatically tensed, her eyes darting around to take in any possible assailants.

Carla grimaced as she tilted her head, her ears straining to hear more clearly. "I...am not sure," she confessed. "Let us pick up the pace."

They resumed their trek at a slight jog, their eyes open for anything out of the ordinary. 

"I can hear it better," Carla declared after a moment. "It sounds like...sobbing?"

Meredy's blood ran cold. "Do you...do you think something could have happened?" Meredy asked, her voice shaky. 

Carla didn't say anything, but her face paled drastically, and she hurried forward. Meredy was right behind her. A few moments later, they approached the doors that led to the throne room. When they were a couple of yards from them, even Meredy was beginning to hear sounds coming from within.

Heart in their throats they immediately burst into the room. Their eyes widened and mouths fell agape as they took in the scene before them.

Like the ballroom before, the room looked as though a natural disaster hit it. The wall had scratches and grooves in them and scorch marks from magic attacks that missed their target. The floor was covered scuff marks, holes, and cracks. An unknown mad was slumped against the far side of the wall, clearly unconscious. But what got their attention, and what made the breath catch in their throat, was an alarmingly-sized pool of what was clearly blood.

Standing a few feet from the pool of blood were Jellal, Lucy, and Wendy. They were all wrapped around each other, and the sobbing noises they heard early were coming from them.

Lucy had her face buried in Jellal's neck. One of her arms were wrapped tightly around his back while her other arm was snaked around Wendy's shoulders, pulling the young girl close. The blue-haired girl had her face pressed tightly against Lucy's side, and her arms wrapped tightly around her nee-san and nii-san.

Jellal had his head bowed, his forehead touching Lucy's shoulder. He had an arm wrapped around Wendy as well, and his other arm was around Lucy's back, his hand carding through Lucy's hair.

And all three of them were crying.

All in all, the scene they created told a wordless story of grief and fear.

It was when Meredy and Carla started to move towards the group that any of them moved. At the sound of their hesitant footsteps, Jellal looked up from where his head was resting on Lucy's shoulder. Meredy's eyes enlarged, and she heard Carla gasp beside her. His eyes were red, as well as the skin around them. Tears were still falling from his eyes, trailing down his cheeks and landing on Lucy's shoulder.

"Meredy? Carla?" he croaked, his voice scratchy from all the yelling and crying he did earlier.

At his voice, the other two in the embrace leaned back and turned to see he was speaking with. Wendy, seeing who it was, let out a harsh sob and broke away from the three-way hug and ran to Carla, throwing her arms around the other girl and resumed crying.

"What happened?" Carla questioned. She gently pulled away from the hug and stepped back to look the young Dragon Slayer up and down. She froze when she saw the blood coating the girl's legs. "What happened?! Are you hurt?!"

She was about to start checking Wendy over when Lucy cleared her throat. "She's fine," she said quietly as she and Jellal made their way over to everyone. "It's...it's my blood."

Meredy, who had been looking over at the younger girls of the group, snapped her eyes to Lucy. "What?" she croaked as she scanned the blonde. "But you're not bleeding."

"Not anymore," Lucy said, her arms snaking around to hug her middle. Jellal, his arm still wrapped around her shoulders, pulled her tighter against his side at her show of vulnerability.

As she snuggled deeper into his side, Jellal looked up at Meredy. "The man she was fighting impaled her through the chest," he responded weakly, his arm tightening around her as he remembered what happened.

Both Carla's and Meredy's faces went stark white at the news. Meredy glanced over at the pool of blood on the ground and put two and two together.

"Then," she croaked out as a sick feeling began to overtake her. "Then...the blood over there..."

She didn't need to finish what she was thinking. Wendy had started sobbing again as she lunged for Carla in another hug, and the haunted look in Jellal's eyes made a shiver go down her spine as Lucy winced in remembered pain.

Meredy walked forward and quickly drew the blonde into a tight embrace, not liking the fact that one of her closest friends was in danger, and she wasn't there to help. Lucy hugged her back but didn't make any move to leave Jellal's one-armed hug. Meredy grasped one of his arms briefly in a comforting hold before wrapping around Lucy once again.

"Wendy managed to heal most of the damage," Lucy whispered to the pink-haired girl, who only tightened her hug in response.

Carla was watching the scene over Wendy's shoulder as she comforted the no-doubt traumatized young girl. 

_ If Lucy was already down by the time Wendy got here, then there's no doubt that Wendy is in some state of shock. If she had come too late- _

Carla couldn't help but shudder at the direction her thoughts took.

As Lucy hugged Meredy back, her mind flashed back to earlier when she was fighting her opponent and what he had said.

Sighing, she reluctantly drew away from the hug, though remained enclosed in the circle of Jellal's arm. "We need to locate the King, Princess, and all the knights who were stationed here," she said firmly, despite there still being a slight tremble to her figure. She jerked a thumb at the unconscious man behind her. "While we were fighting, that lunatic mentioned that a bunch of dark guilds are running around and causing havoc."

Jellal winced. "And with all the light guilds being caged here in the dungeons..."

"There's going to be no one able to stop them," Meredy finished grimly.

"Well," Carla said as she stepped away from Wendy, "if we're going to find them, you two need to disappear."

"That's right," Wendy nodded, her eyes red from crying and tear tracks on her cheeks. Her voice cracked from how much she had been weeping. "You two will end up in prison if the royal family knows you're here."

"No."

Everyone looked towards Jellal, shock (Lucy, Wendy, and Carla) and understanding (Meredy) written upon their faces. 

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked confusedly.

"If you think I'm leaving you after what just happened, you got another thing coming," he said as he stared into her eyes.

"But...but you'll go back to prison," Lucy protested weakly, tears starting to fill her eyes once again.

Jellal raised his hands to cup her face. "I don't care," he said softly, his thumbs caressing her cheeks. "I'm done running. I'll take whatever punishment they decide to give me."

"But I don't want to lose you," Lucy revealed tearfully.

"You won't."

The tears finally spilled over her eyelids as she closed her eyes, and Jellal leaned their foreheads together.

The other girls turned away from the touching scene to give them some semblance of privacy and Carla looked to Meredy. "Do you feel the same?" she asked quietly, a scared look upon her ordinarily placid face. Standing next to her, Wendy was looking up at Meredy with wide eyes.

Meredy nodded, a sad smile on her face. "I won't abandon my friends," she said quietly but firmly. "I'll take whatever punishment they dish out."

Carla, knowing her friend was as serious as Jellal, merely nodded. Then, in a move that shocked Meredy for only a second, the exceed-turned-girl moved in close and hugged her tightly.

Meredy only hesitated for half a second before she returned her hug. She felt another pair of arms wrap around them, and blindly reached out to draw Wendy deeper into the embrace.

"I'm going to miss you," Carla said sorrowfully.

Wendy nodded. "Hai," she agreed, her voice thick with unshed tears. "You've become family, like Jellal-nii."

Meredy held in her tears as she hugged the two girls tighter to her. "I'll miss you guys, too," she whispered.

They stayed together a moment longer, relishing the feel of having their friends close, before pulling away; they still had a job to do.

They looked over at the couple just in time to see Jellal kiss a falling tear away on Lucy's cheek. Without moving away from each other, they clasped hands before looking at the trio. "Are we ready?" Jellal asked, squeezing Lucy's hand tightly as he did so.

Lucy held out a hand, and Wendy rushed to her side to take it. Meredy offered Carla her arm, and the white-haired girl linked theirs together. Looking back at Jellal, who had a slight smile on his face at their antics, she replied with a firm, "Ready."

~wWw~

Levy waited in the big room where Fairy Tail fought off the dark guilds, and she could hardly stay standing. While she wasn't involved in the fighting much, she did help Freed remove the runes off of Fairy Tail members, and it very much exhausted her magic. To add on to that, she and Freed had created bindings for their downed opponents.

And now, Levy was with other tired out members of Fairy Tail while the others, who still had some magic left, went with Freed to release the other guilds and get their runes removed.

Erza had woken up long after the other girls had left. Her nose didn't break (a pity, in Levy's honest opinion) but her anger had increased majorly. It had taken a stern warning from Makarov, who still hadn't gotten his magic back but was still sort of threatening, all the same, to prevent her from storming off and finding Meredy to give her a piece of her mind.

Next to her, Gray let out a loud sigh. "When can we leave?" he asked, his voice taking on a bit of a whine.

Levy smiled at him. "You're worried about Lucy, aren't you?" she asked, half-teasing and half-serious.

He sighed. "Hai," he admitted. "I mean, I know she can take care of herself. Hell, she's kicked my ass a few times. But..."

"I get it, Gray," Levy interrupted with a smile. "You haven't seen her for two months; it's natural to worry about your imouto."

He smiled at her in thanks.

"Hey," Levy said after a moment of silence, "Why don't we go see where they are?"

"Really?" Gray turned to look at her.

"I'm serious," she said. "I mean, I don't think there's anything wrong because no one rushed back here to get help, but that doesn't mean we can't go offer."

Gray started to smirk. "Hell, I'm in."

"Me too!"

Levy and Gray turned to see Natsu standing behind him, a broad grin on his face. "I wanna see how Lucy's doing!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy chimed from Natsu's shoulder

"Uh, okay," Levy replied, ignoring Gray's mutter of 'How'd flame-head sneak up on me?' "Sure thing, guys."

"I'm coming as well," Erza said, appearing out of nowhere and scaring the hell out of both Gray and Natsu, while Happy merely flinched. "I'd like to see if Jellal is okay."

Levy narrowed her eyes slightly, noticing how the redhead didn't seem worried about Meredy, Wendy, Carla, or even Lucy. However, the bluenette knew then wasn't the time to blow up at the requip mage and merely said, "Alright."

If Erza noticed the slight frosty tone of Levy's voice, she didn't comment on it. 

(However, Levy did smile at Happy's secret two thumbs up.)

After stopping for a bit for Levy to tell Master where they were going, the unusual quintet made their way through the dungeons and into the main part of the palace.

"I wondered how Lucy and Jellal fared against their opponents," Levy wondered to Gray thoughtfully.

"Well, if you saw the way Wendy, Carla, and Meredy were fighting, then I think it's safe to say they kicked ass," Gray said with a grin.

"Especially Jellal," Erza couldn't help but point out snidely, feeling a bit petty. "He's an S-class mage."

Levy sent her a withering look that Erza didn't see but still scared the shit out of the boys. 

(Happy applauded quietly, all the while grinning like the Cheshire Cat.)

"It's been at least two months," Levy pointed out smugly. "Lucy was already a good fighter before she left on her training trip; I'd like to see how good she fights now."

Erza narrowed her eyes at the bluenette but didn't say anything.

Natsu and Gray were watching the conversation like a tennis match, their eyes flicking back and forth between the two females. After discovering the badassery known as Levy McGarden, the two boys' respect for her only went up. But Erza still scared them so they didn't know how this will end.

Gray, in a move that was either brave or stupid, spoke up into the silence. "I still need to talk to Jellal, though."

Happy giggled. "You gonna give him the shovel talk, Gray?" he asked slyly.

Gray barely blinked. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said nonchalantly.

Levy looked at the two in confusion. "What?" she questioned. "Why would you need to give Jellal the shovel talk?"

The grin Happy gave her was positively  _ evil _ . "Oh, didn't you know?" he said so sweetly Levy thought her teeth were beginning to rot. "Lucy and Jellal are an item now."

Erza glared murder at the exceed, her eyes flashing dangerously, but Happy was busy gauging Levy's reaction and didn't notice. Natsu did, however, and turned slightly so his friend wasn't in the redhead's line of sight.

Levy let out a sound that was a combination of a gasp, a squeal, and a shriek. "Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Lu-chan is dating Jellal?! I need DETAILS!" she shrieked the last word, causing the boys to wince as they continued to walk along the castle corridor.

She didn't stop talking. "I wonder how they got together? How do you think their first kiss was? I bet it was really romantic with a sunset in the background, what do you think? I wonder if they're cute together; do you think they tell each other their secrets? Or do you think they're always holding hands and smiling at each other?"

Erza's expression was getting more stormy the longer Levy talked. Gray was staring at her with a look akin to horror on his face.

_ Why is she sounding so much like Mirajane? She's starting to scare me... _

Then, in the middle of describing what one of their dates she thought they could go on, she frowned. "Wait," she said. "I'm going to have to give him the shovel talk too. He needs to know what happens if he hurts my best friend."

Natsu, Gray, and Happy all sweatdropped.

_ What just happened? _

"Hey!"

The four teens and exceed startled at the shout and looked to see a group of palace guards rushing towards them.

"Now they decide to show up," Gray muttered under his breath as they got closer.

"What do you think you're doing here?" one of them asked, brandishing his weapon. 

Before any of them could respond, a guard next to the confrontational one placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Stand down, Riku," he said, stepping forward. "I recognize them; they're members of Fairy Tail."

He turned to look at the mages. "If I'm not mistaken, you are Gray Fullbuster; Erza Scarlet, also known as Titania; Natsu Dragneel, also known as The Salamander; and Levy McGarden, correct?"

"That's right," Levy nodded, ignoring Happy's pitiful 'why do they always forget about me?' comment.

He nodded. "I thought as much. Your friends are talking to His Majesty right now; I can take you to them."

"That would be acceptable," Erza interjected before Levy could reply.

"Riku," the man said as he turned to the one that had yelled at them earlier, "You and the others go to the dungeons and assist the members of Fairy Tail and all the others who are imprisoned while I take them to see His Majesty."

"Hai, Takumi-Taichou!"

The man, Riku, saluted his superior before he and the rest of the men headed for the dungeons while Takumi, the one who spoke to them, stayed behind.

"If you all will follow me," he said, before turning on his heel and walking away, leaving the four mages to catch up.

Their trek was mostly quiet as they made their way towards the main part of the castle. Five minutes into their trek, they came upon a ballroom.

"This is where the party was held in celebration when all the dragons were defeated," Levy informed the others quietly.

The place was crawling with Palace Soldiers, all of them holding their weapons tightly if the way their clenched fingers said anything.

_ Probably in anticipation of another attack. Just in case there are any more dark mages waiting in the wings. _

Levy was yanked from her musings when her gaze landed in the middle of the room as they began to walk through.

An unconscious woman was being loaded onto a stretcher by men and women in medic garb. 

"Who's that?" Levy pointed out, getting her friends' attention.

Takumi glanced in the direction she had pointed. "According to our intel, that is Tsubaki Ketsueki, a dark mage with Blood-Make magic. Apparently, she was the right-hand woman to the person in charge of everything."

"What happened to her?" Natsu questioned.

"I don't know the exact details," the man admitted. "All I know is that one of your friends defeated her and the other took on Enzo Yami - the guy in charge."

"Huh," Levy wondered. "Since Meredy, Wendy, and Carla were with us in the beginning, it's only right in assuming that either Lucy or Jellal fought that woman."

Erza narrowed her eyes in thought. "You said that the woman was only second in command?" she asked Takumi. "And that the man, Enzo, was the one in charge?"

"Hai."

Erza let out a thoughtful hum. "Then it's likely that Lucy was the one to take her down," she said confidently. "While Jellal went on to fight Enzo."

Levy and Gray both glared at her, not likely the roundabout way she called Lucy weak.

_ Titania or not, if you insult my best friend one more time, I will not hesitate to break my hand on your face! _

Natsu, meanwhile, was trying to calm down his enraged exceed, not understanding why he was upset.

"Uh," Takumi said, noting the tension mounting between the mages, "let us continue, shall we?"

"Hai," Levy answered, her tone cold as she tried to keep her temper in check. "Of course, Takumi-san. Lead the way."

The group of five (six if you included Happy) continued, passing by many of the royal soldiers as they secured the room, and entering a long hallway that led to the throne room where their friends were.

Levy was excited to see her best friend after two months of total silence.

_ I wonder how much stronger she's gotten? No matter what Erza has said, Lucy was never weak, to begin with. It takes immense magical power to open two gates for her spirits and keep them open for longer than five minutes. And now, spending two months away from everyone to focus on nothing but training, she has to be an A-class mage at the very  _ least _ . _

"Hey, do you hear that?"

Levy stopped thinking and looked over at Natsu, who had his head cocked to the side.

"Hear what?" she asked. Gray started looking around them, gauging their surroundings after hearing Natsu's question.

"It sounds like..." Natsu's voice trailed off as he concentrated, his eyes falling shut.

They all came to a stop as they studied Natsu. Even Takumi had halted, gazing at the dragon slayer warily.

"Crying, " Natsu said suddenly, his eyes flying open. "I hear crying."

"Crying?" Erza asked sharply.

"Hai," Natsu answered, his eyes closing again in concentration. "I think it's...a girl's voice."

"A girl's voice?" Levy repeated worriedly. "That means it could either be Lucy, Wendy, Meredy, or even Carla!"

"We gotta go!" Gray said, already hurrying forward. "Guys, c'mon!"

All five of them started running for the throne room, Happy still situated on Natsu's shoulder, and Takumi scrambled after them. In no time at all, they reached the open doors of the throne room and immediately headed inside, always prepared for the worst.

What they saw stopped them in their tracks.

The place was a mess. Cracks and scorch marks littered the walls and the floors had craters and scuff marks.

In the middle of it all was Toma E. Fiore, the King; Hisui E. Fiore, the Princess; and Colonel Arcadios, Chief of the Cherry Blossom Holy Knight Squadron...

...all on their knees with their heads bowed.

Standing in front of them was a man Levy recognized as Jellal wearing a shocked look on his face. He had his arms wrapped around a crying blonde woman who was balling into his neck with her arms wrapped tightly around him; a woman who Levy instantly recognized as her best friend, Lu-chan.

A couple of feet from them stood Meredy who also wore a shocked expression on her face. Wendy and Carla were each clutching one of her arms on either side of her; Carla's eyes were extremely wide and Wendy had silent tears rolling down her cheeks as she stared at the Royal Family kneeling before them.

Erza broke the silence. "What is going on here?"

Meredy slowly turned her head so she was facing the newly arrived group. "We've been pardoned," she said reverently.

Erza, Gray, and Happy all gasped while Natsu and Levy felt their jaws drop and eyes widen. "Pardoned?" Levy questioned. "Of...everything?"

"Everything."

The group turned to see The King standing before them, a soft expression on his face. Behind him, they could see Princess Hisui and Colonel Arcadios talking to Lucy and Jellal, the former having removed her tear-stained face from Jellal's shoulder and was facing the other two along with the blue-haired man. Meredy, Wendy, and Carla walked over to join them as well as Takumi, who Levy forgot was with them, went to stand by Colonel Arcadios.

Erza, Gray, and Levy all bowed their heads towards him with respect. "Your Majesty."

Natsu merely grinned. "Hey, Toma!"

An armored fist slammed into his head seconds later. "Natsu! How dare you show disrespect towards our king," Erza scolded in her no-nonsense attitude. "Apologize at once!"

"S-Sorry, your Kingliness," Natsu gasped around the pain.

Erza narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth to reprimand him once more when the King let out a chuckle. "It is fine Ms. Scarlet. It is just his way of greeting someone he respects."

"'Respects', huh? I didn't know Natsu knew that word," Gray murmured under his breath.

"So you've pardoned Jellal and Meredy of everything?" Levy questioned. 

"Mostly," Toma replied. "Lucy Heartfilia and Wendy Marvel explained what happened to Jellal Fernandes that lead him to his actions concerning the Tower of Heaven as well as coming into the clutches of the dark guild, Oracion Seis. They also explained, with input from Carla the exceed, how Meredy was practically raised by Ultear Milkovich, another member of Grimoire Heart since her village was destroyed when she was a child."

Toma paused, before glancing back towards his daughter. The princess had Lucy's hands in hers as she was saying something to her, Jellal, Wendy, Meredy, and Carla.

"Also," Toma said as he turned back, "considering my family's dealing with Zeref at the Grand Magic Games, if I punish Jellal for something that wasn't really in his control, that'll make me a hypocrite;  _ especially  _ since my family did it voluntarily whilst Jellal was under someone else's control."

"Thank you," Erza said earnestly and Levy looked askance at her. With the way Erza had been treating everything Lucy and Jellal related, Levy almost forgot that Erza genuinely cared about her childhood friend.

Toma waved his hand dismissively. "Don't mention it," he replied. "After everything those two had done, helping out against the dragons all those months ago, taking down other dark guilds, and helping us with this problem, pardoning them was the least I could do. However, Meredy did break Jellal out of prison so they're going to have to have a probation period. They'll have to join a guild and not go on any mission for three months as a sign of good behavior."

"They could join Fairy Tail!" Natsu piped up. Levy saw that Erza looked seconds away from suggesting that herself.

"If it's okay with Master Makarov then I don't see why not," Toma replied. "You may join your friends now if you wish. My knights and I must coordinate with the magic council about something Lucy Heartfilia told me."

"Thank you again," Gray said.

"It was my pleasure."

As the King walked away, Levy caught Lucy's eyes over the Princess' shoulder. The blonde looked startled for a second before a beaming smile appeared on her face, and Levy couldn't help but smile back herself.

_ It's good to have my best friend back. _

~wWw~

It was the next day after everything had gone down in the throne room. King Toma had generously allowed all the guild members that were captured to stay in guest rooms at the castle before leaving the following morning.

Thanks to Lucy's warning, the Royal Soldiers, as well as soldiers from the Magic Council, were able to go out and subdue most of the dark guild members that were out terrorizing the citizens of Fiore while Enzo and Tsubaki held the light guilds and royal family hostage, along with all the castle inhabitants.

When Lucy and Jellal had reunited with the rest of the guilds, there was an uproar. All of Fairy Tail was happy to see Lucy after two months of absence and were beyond grateful to Jellal for helping her as well as coming to free them. Master Makarov had agreed almost immediately to induct Jellal and Meredy into the guild as soon as they get back.

(Although Jellal  _ was  _ a little uncomfortable to be pulled away and given the 'shovel' talk from Gray on how to treat his imouto. And after seeing the way Levy was staring at him, Jellal assumed that she will also give him the talk as soon as she can.)

There was some awkwardness when both Millianna and Kagura saw Jellal but, to the shock to everyone who knew about their connection, they thanked him generously for being instrumental in setting them free before going their separate ways.

Now, all guild members are on trains and heading back home; back to Magnolia for Fairy Tail members.

When everyone had first boarded the train for places to sit, there was another awkward situation when Erza had wanted to search for Jellal so they could sit together. Mirajane had told her that he already went off with Lucy and the others to find a place. The furious expression that appeared on her face at the news scared everyone in the vicinity (except for Mira and Laxus.)

Jellal was in a compartment along with Lucy, Meredy, Wendy, and Carla in her human form. The latter two were sitting on the same side as Meredy and were both fast asleep, Carla resting her head on Wendy's arm while the blue-haired girl rested her's on Meredy's.

Lucy was sitting next to Jellal on the opposite side, fast asleep with her head in his lap. Jellal had a hand in her hair, absentmindedly twirling a strand around his finger as he stared out the window, lost in thought.

_ I can't believe this. Meredy and I have been  _ pardoned _ . I...I'm not a fugitive anymore. I'm no longer a criminal. I'm  _ free _ . The people I care for are  _ safe _ . The woman I love is still  _ alive _ . I can't...I can't believe this is all happening. After all the bad I've done, all the evil acts I was forced to commit, I'm still being allowed a chance to go through my life without fear of being thrown in jail. I'm allowed to  _ live _ . _

Jellal glanced down at the woman in his lap and couldn't help the smile that flashed across his face. He moved his hand away from her hair to cup the side of her face and stared at the eyelids that hid her beautiful eyes from him as she slept.

Sitting across from him, Meredy had to fight down a girlish squeal as she saw him interact with the blonde woman lying in his lap.

_ He adores her. He really,  _ truly _ , loves her. _

~wWw~

Unnoticed by the two awake mages, Erza was watching them stealthily from out in the corridor. 

Seeing the smitten look on Jellal's face as he stared down at the sleeping woman in his lap made anger simmer in her soul.

Right then, at that moment, Erza  _ hated  _ Lucy Heartfilia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter after this, and then it's the Epilogue! Hang in there a little while longer!
> 
> And for those of you who want something between Erza and Lucy, it will happen next chapter. Although, probably not in the way that you think


	28. Chapter Twenty-Eight

Light shining through the window slanted across Jellal's face and slowly brought him back to consciousness. 

He opened his eyes progressively, blinking against the sunlight for a moment before his eyes were used to it. He let out a yawn, his body arching up in a stretch before he settled down again.

The extra comfort under his back confused him for a moment before yesterday's events caught up to him, and he smiled.

After the train had arrived in Magnolia yesterday night, all Fairy Tail members, including Jellal and Meredy, made their way towards the guildhall. As soon as they entered, Master Makarov wasted no time in giving Lucy, Wendy, and Carla their guild marks back, prompting cheers from the rest of the guild.

Makarov had then turned to Jellal and Meredy before asking where they'd like their guild marks and in what color. After getting over their initial surprise, Meredy insisted on having it on her left hand in dark purple while Jellal asked for it to be on his right arm in gold.

(They didn't tell anyone that the colors were supposed to represent Ultear and Lucy.)

Soon after that, everyone went home. Since Jellal and Meredy didn't have a place of residence yet, Lucy invited them to stay with her at her place. Wendy and Carla tagged along with them as well since it felt strange to them to be apart from each other after spending two months in close quarters.

Jellal was brought out of his musings by someone shifting next to him, and his smile widened. He turned his head to see Lucy lying next to him, asleep with her face tilted in his direction. 

He leaned over and pressed a brief kiss against her forehead before he got up and made his way towards the bathroom, pausing briefly to smirk at Meredy, Wendy, and Carla in her exceed form, all curled up on the couch together.

After stepping into the bathroom, Jellal quickly stripped down before he got into the shower, temporarily marveling at having warm running water instead of cold waterfalls and small ponds to wash up in.

He wasn't in there long, but when he finally stepped out, he felt calm in a way he hadn't known in a long while. After wrapping a towel around his waist, he stepped out and made his way back towards Lucy's room.

Lucy was up, rummaging around in her dresser, still dressed in her pajamas. She turned around when he walked further into the room and smiled up at him. "Hey," she said as her arms came up to wrap around his neck.

"Hey yourself," he responded as his hands settled on her waist. She smiled and leaned up to give him a kiss that he wholeheartedly reciprocated. She leaned back after a moment with a sigh. "You need to put some clothes on."

Jellal smirked down at her. "See something you like?"

"Is that a trick question?"

Jellal laughed before he released her, stepping back slightly.

Lucy grinned at him mischievously before she dumped clothes into his arms. "Here, put these on."

Jellal raised a brow at her. "Why do you have clothes for men here if you live by yourself?"

The blonde blushed slightly. "When Team Natsu gathered at my place, Gray always left some clothes behind. I put them away and try to remember to give them back, but I always forget."

"Ah."

Lucy smiled and shoved at his chest playfully, trying very hard not to think about the hard muscles she felt beneath her hand. "I'll leave you to it."

"If you insist," Jellal said wickedly, laughing out loud when a bright blush flared on her face.

Lucy left the room, shutting the door as she did, and made her way towards the bathroom to indulge herself in a hot bath. She didn't spend too long in there, eager to leave and head towards the guild. When she finally got out, she summoned Virgo to hand her some clothes before she stepped back out into the living room, toweling off her hair.

Meredy was in the process waking up along with Wendy and Carla, who quickly transformed into her human self as she did, and Jellal stepped into the room, this time fully clothed.

"Time to get up, ladies," Lucy said to the waking girls. "We have to head to the guildhall soon."

"It's going to be weird to be surrounded by our rowdy guildmates after two months on a secluded island," Wendy mused before letting out a huge yawn. 

"I agree," Carla said while rubbing her eyes. "It'll take some getting used to."

"I'm looking forward to it," Meredy admitted. "I...I want to see what it's like to be part of a legal guild."

"I know what you mean," Jellal confessed as closed the distance between them. "It'll be nice to be a part of something so mundane after the excitement of everything."

Lucy sent him a smile before turning to the other three. "You'd best start getting ready, girls. We can grab food at the guildhall."

~wWw~

Mirajane hummed as she cleaned glasses behind the bar at the guild. Glancing around at the people in the guild, she couldn't help but smile. Things seem to be getting back to normal; well, as normal as things could get in Fairy Tail.

Natsu and Gray were arguing about something a little ways away while Happy and Romeo sat on a nearby table laughing at them and munching on a fish in Happy's case.

Cana was sitting at the bar, sipping at the alcohol Mira brought her while also consulting her cards. Next to her was Kinana, Juvia, and Laki, all laughing over something Mira couldn't hear from where she was.

Jet and Droy were trying to get close to Levy, who was eagerly reading a book but were kept at bay by the glares of Gajeel, who was sitting next to her. Panther Lily gave them sympathetic looks whenever they tried to come close but didn't offer them any help, either. 

Alzack and Bisca were entertaining Asuka with a children's storybook a couple of tables away, the little girl giggling at the pictures while her parents smiled at her.

Elfman and Max were by the mission board, looking over the various missions available.

Laxus and the Thunder Legion were sitting at a table far enough from Mira that she couldn't hear what they were discussing, but the smiles and grins on their faces (well, a smirk in Laxus' case) it was something good.

Macao and Wakaba were sitting at the far end of the bar, with Wakaba smoking his pipe and Macao drinking from his mug that Lisanna gave him as they chatted quietly.

Everything seemed to be going back to normal, and it made Mira smile.

_ Well, not everything. _

With a wince, Mirajane glanced across the guildhall to the lone person sitting at the table closest to the doors. Erza was sitting ramrod straight as she speared a piece of her strawberry cake onto her fork before shoving it into her mouth, munching as her eyes flashed to the doors for a second.

Mira had noticed that everyone had glanced at the guild doors every once and a while, but Erza seemed to do it regularly. Everyone was eager for Lucy and the others to show up, so they could catch up or, in the case of Jellal and Meredy, get to know them better, but Erza wasn't showing elation or happiness for the eventual arrival of the quintet.

Mira didn't know what that expression on her face was, but it was making her apprehensive.

_ Something tells me that something's going to blow up and very quickly. _

Natsu's shout brought Mira out of her musings. "Hey! I can smell Lucy and the others approaching the guild!"

All at once, everyone's heads turned towards the doors, with expressions on their faces ranging from excited to nervousness to blanked-faced (Erza).

The doors opened, and Mira felt her smile grow at the sight of the people coming in.

Lucy was smiling in a way Mira hadn't seen since before the Grand Magic Games as she clung to Jellal's hand with both of her own while the blue-haired male was saying something to her. Next to them, Meredy was arm in arm with Carla's human form while Wendy clung to her hand, the younger two laughing at something the pink-haired girl said.

They made quite the domestic sight, and it made something in Mira's chest ease. A glance around showed her that everyone was smiling indulgently at the scene, even Lisanna. 

(Well, everyone except Erza, who was still stonefaced.)

Lucy chose that moment to look away from Jellal and at everyone else, still smiling. "Konnichiwa, Minna!" she waved enthusiastically.

"Hiya, Lucy-san!"

"Hey, Lucy!"

"Hi, Lu-chan!"

"Hey, Wendy!"

"Hi, Wendy-chan!"

"Looking good, Carla!"

"Nice to see you again, Carla!"

"Hi Meredy-san, Jellal-san!"

Jellal and Meredy, who had tensed at first when they saw all the eyes on them, relaxed more after hearing people address them without hostility. Lucy tugged Jellal towards the bar, prompting the other three to follow suit.

"Hi, Mira-chan!" Lucy chirped as they all sat down, Jellal on her right and Wendy on her left and Meredy and Carla on the other side of Wendy. The other members of the guild slowly started getting back to what they were doing before they had arrived.

"Hey, Lucy," Mira said warmly, another smile lighting up her features. "And good seeing you two again, Wendy and Carla."

"It's good to see you too, Mira," Wendy responded happily with Carla nodding in agreement.

Mira turned to the other two. "Now, I think it's time I introduce myself properly," she said before holding her hand out. "My name is Mirajane, but you can call me Mira."

Jellal took her hand. "Jellal," he said with a smile.

"And I'm Meredy," the pink-haired girl grabbed Mira's hand in her own after Jellal released it. "It's nice to meet you."

"You too," Mira returned.

"Now," Meredy leaned in conspiratorially, a mischievous grin on her face, "on a scale of one to ten, how cute do you think Jellal and Lucy are as a couple?"

Lucy groaned dramatically and buried her face in Jellal's shoulder to hide her expression. Jellal patted her head in a 'there there' motion, his smile turning into a grin, while Wendy and Carla both giggled.

A slow smirk began making his way on to Mira's face. "Well, obviously, it's ten to the tenth power."

"Right?! JELU is so  _ cute _ !"

"Oh my gosh, you already have a ship name for them?! That's  _ adorable _ , and it fits them so well!”

"See, that's what I said! What do you think their children would look like?"

"Well, first we have to determine how many they're going to have."

"True, true."

Wendy and Carla were having trouble smothering their giggles the longer Mira and Meredy talked.

"Introducing them was a bad idea," Lucy muttered, her voice muffled by Jellal's shoulder.

Jellal chuckled as he snaked an arm around Lucy's waist. "I think it's nice that Meredy is making more friends," he admitted.

Lucy removed her face from his shoulder and glanced at the two gossiping girls, their bodies leaning forward the longer they talked. A smile appeared on her face at their interaction. "I suppose you're right," she agreed. "Even if we  _ did  _ just contribute to the creation of Mira 2.0."

Jellal's laugh was loud and turned more than a few heads in their direction, including Erza's. Her facial expression became even more stormy as she observed how close Jellal and Lucy were, physically and emotionally.

Levy chose that moment to approach them and sit on Jellal's other side. "Hey guys," she greeted as Mira excused herself to go take care of someone else. "How goes it?"

"All good, Levy-chan," Lucy said. "Are you okay?" she asked with a small frown. "I'm sorry we couldn't get to you guys sooner-"

"Don't even apologize, Lu-chan," Levy warned. "You guys did as much as you could, and you got all of us out in the end anyway."

"She's right," Jellal said quietly. "Especially since you got hurt fighting Enzo."

"You got hurt?" Levy asked worriedly. Then she frowned. "Wait, you fought, Enzo?"

"Hai," Lucy nodded.

"The leader of all the bad guys and the one who was in charge of everything?"

"Uh-huh."

Levy grinned savagely, to the couple's confusion, before she turned around. "GRAY!" she hollered, getting the Ice-Mage's attention, as well as everyone else's.

Gray looked at her in puzzlement. "What?!" he yelled back, still putting Natsu in a headlock.

"Lucy was the one to take down Enzo!"

Gray halted, glancing between Levy and Lucy with wide eyes. Natsu gaped at Lucy, still within Gray's grasp. A couple of tables away, Erza was frozen in shock, a bite of her strawberry cake halfway to her mouth as she stared at Lucy.

Everyone was silent as they stared at Lucy with either shock, awe, or amazement. 

And then, the silence that was starting to gather was broken by sudden exclamations.

"Sugoi, you beat the guy in charge? That's so  _ cool _ !"

"Oh, wow, you're amazing, Lucy!"

"You go, girl!"

Lucy blushed under all the praise heaped onto her while Levy smirked smugly next to her in Erza's direction.

"You are  _ so  _ manly, Lucy!" Elfman's voice sounded over all the others as he made his way over to them. "You totally took him down! It makes me wonder what exactly you did to 'im!"

Feeling a spark of confidence, Lucy lifted her chin and grinned. "Would you like a demonstration, Elfman?"

There was a chorus of 'ooh's' at that, and Elfman stared down at the blonde in shock for a moment. He then let out a huge grin. "Wow! Issuing a challenge like that is so  _ manly _ . I accept!"

"Take it outside!" the Master's voice echoed from upstairs. 

Jellal couldn't help but smirk. "This should be interesting."

~wWw~

**(A/N: Heads up for crappy fight scenes.)**

"Place your bets! Place your bets here!" Cana hollered to the masses. 

All of Fairy Tail was gathered out in the back, eagerly anticipating the spar between Lucy and Elfman. 

Jellal, Meredy, Wendy, Carla, and even Levy were almost gleeful at the prospect of Lucy, showing everyone how powerful she really was in front of the whole guild. 

Cana was nearby taking bets, and Jellal was a little disappointed to see that, while Lucy got some bets, the majority were in Elfman's favor. Meredy, Wendy, Carla, along with Jellal himself, had bet on Lucy winning the fight.

And he was even more disappointed to see that Erza was one of the people betting on Elfman to win against Lucy. Despite the tension between them, Jellal thought that Erza and Lucy's friendship was strong.

Although, on a good note, Jellal had seen Levy betting on Lucy too, along with Gray, Natsu, Happy, Mira, Juvia, and Cana herself. There were others as well, but Jellal didn't know their names.

"I am so looking forward to this," Meredy muttered next to him, a smirk on her face.

"As am I," Carla responded, a feline edge to her smile.

Wendy was wringing her hands in worry on the other side of Jellal. "I just hope they both don't get hurt too badly," she said in agitation. Despite maturing into a badass Dragon Slayer, Wendy still prefers to heal than to fight.

Jellal settled his hand on her shoulder, not looking away from his girlfriend standing a ways away from them all, with Elfman standing across from her. Both of them were grinning in anticipation. "Elfman is built like an ox, and you know firsthand that Lucy is stronger than she looks; they'll be fine," he reassured his imouto. "And even if they did get hurt, you'll be there in an instant to heal them both."

The tension eased out of Wendy's shoulders before she leaned into Jellal's side. "I guess your right."

"I've been told it happens, once in a blue moon."

Wendy let out a giggle, which was what Jellal was aiming for.

"Alright, all bets are in!" Cans shouted suddenly, prompting Jellal to turn his gaze to her as she stood. "The spar between Lucy and Elfman shall commence in 5..!"

"4...!"

"3...!"

"2...!"

"1...!"

"And...BEGIN!"

Everyone cheered as Cana gave the go-ahead, with Elfman cheering the loudest. "Let's do this!"

Lucy settled into a stance that Jellal taught her, before motioning Elfman towards her with a crooked finger. "Bring it."

~wWw~

Lucy heard Cana shout 'begin' and saw Elfman get into a stance before he declared, "Let's do this!"

And after hearing that, knowing that all of her friends and family were watching her, remembering all the sparing sessions she had with Capricorn and Jellal, filled her with determination to show them all just how far she has come. 

So she shifted into a fighting stance that Jellal helped her form, crooked a finger at Elfman, and with a grin, confidently said, "Bring it."

Elfman grinned back at her before shouting, "Partial Take Over: Beast Arm, Black Bear!"

His right arm glowed briefly before the light disappeared, and a large, thick arm the size of half a tree trunk and covered in black fur took its place. Elfman had hardly waited for the transformation to finish and was running at Lucy before the arm completely materialized.

Lucy ran at him too, ignoring the surprised shouts of her guildmates. Right when Elfman was about to take a swing, she slid underneath him, allowing his punch to slam into the earth as she popped up behind him. Jumping back a little, she pulled out one of her keys - knowing which one it was by the shape and magic coming from it - and held it high in the air.

Lucy knew she could have just transformed without grabbing her key, but she felt like showing off a little. As Elfman went to turn around, Lucy shouted, "Star Dress: Taurus Form!"

~wWw~

Levy was watching Lucy and Elfman running at each other with a little trepidation. Levy knew her best friend could kick ass, and after training for a couple of months she's bound to be even more powerful - especially since she was able to take down the head of the bad guys - but seeing the hulking Elfman running at her with his transformed bear arm raised still made her worry a little bit. 

She watched as Lucy slid underneath him as Elfman's fist slammed into the ground where she used to be standing. She sprang up behind him, jumping away before pulling out one of her keys. 

Levy squinted, but she was too far away to see which one it was. 

_ I guess I'll see when she calls them out. _

However, Levy was shocked by what happened next. 

Lucy pointed her key in the air and shouted, "Star Dress: Taurus Form!"

Lucy's body suddenly lit up in bright golden light, so bright that she had to shield her eyes. When the light died down, and Levy was able to look back, she felt her jaw drop in shock. 

Lucy's outfit had changed. She now wore a bra and detachable sleeves with a cow pattern and black pants that left her right leg entirely revealed. Black fingerless gloves with gold cuffs were on her hands, and brown boots were on her feet. A black whip was hanging from the belt around her waist, and a gold belt buckle with Taurus' symbol held it together. And finally, to complete the look, her hair was done up in two buns at the side of her head with two bangs framing her face. 

"Holy shit," came Gray's voice beside her amongst the excited murmurs of the watching crowd. "I didn't know she could do that."

"Neither did I," Levy admitted, not looking away from Lucy. 

Elfman himself looked shocked for a moment before he got over it. "You're looking manly, Lucy! Manlier than usual!"

"Uh, thanks...I think," Levy heard Lucy say. 

Elfman charged at her again, but this time Lucy met his charge head-on, her right arm drawn back. 

"Is she going to take his hit straight on?!"

"Is she insane?!"

"Lucy, look out!"

Levy bit her lip as the two drew closer together. Elfman swung his right fist out at the same time Lucy did, and the two fists connected with a loud ** 'SMASH!'**

To the complete shock of everyone except Jellal, Meredy, Wendy, and Carla, neither opponent was knocked backward. But after a moment, Elfman began to sweat as he struggled against Lucy's fist. When Lucy stepped forward, Elfman stumbled  _ back _ .

"Did you see that?"

"Whoa, where did she learn to do that?"

"How much stronger did she get?"

Levy couldn't stop the growing grin on her face. "You go, Lu-chan!" she shouted happily. 

Elfman couldn't keep up the pressure, so he jumped back and out of the way. "Wow, you're stronger than you look, Lucy."

Lucy grinned. "I've had some help," she said with a glance in Jellal's direction. 

(And Levy did not have to clamp down on a squeal that wanted to come out. Nope. Not at all.)

Lucy ran at Elfman, surprising him and everyone else by her boldness before she jumped up and aimed another punch down towards him. He quickly jumped out of the way and narrowly missed getting hit by Lucy's punch. Her fist hit the ground instead, and the impact shook the earth and formed cracks beneath her fist.

"What the hell?!"

"Did she seriously just crack the ground?!"

"Was she always this strong?"

Elfman was also shocked by the level of strength Lucy was showing. So stunned, that he didn't notice her taking out her whip until it was too late. 

Lucy swung her arm out and wrapped her whip around him. And then she started using it to lift him and slam him repeatedly into the ground. 

Levy could only watch in shock, and a lot of amazement, as Lucy manhandled a man twice (maybe three times) her size up into the air and back into the ground with apparent ease. 

When Lucy threw him up into the air again, there was another flash of light before her spirit, Taurus, appeared beside her. He grabbed her arm and threw her in the air towards Elfman. When she got closer to him, she twisted midair to slam her foot into his face, sending him crashing back to the ground. 

"Oomph!" Elfman groaned as he was slammed back down.

Lucy touched back down on the ground, a pleased smile on her face as she landed next to Taurus. Levy watched as the spirit wordlessly handed her his ax before disappearing in the same flash of light that he appeared in. Lucy then strode forward, her steps sure and confident, towards Elfman, who was struggling to get out of the hole his body made after he came back down to earth. 

Just when he was about to haul himself up, Lucy was in front of him, holding the ax under his chin and at his neck, causing Elfman to freeze in shock. Levy observed him cast wide eyes up at Lucy, who was wearing a triumphant smile.

"Do you yield?" she asked, not even breathless.

Elfman stared up at her in shock. And he was not the only one, either; Levy looked around discreetly and saw that everyone sans Jellal, Meredy, Wendy, and Carla was looking towards the two in shock.

Beside her, Gray was wearing a proud grin. 

The sound of Elfman's laughter drew Levy's attention back towards them, and she was surprised to see him looking up at Lucy with honest amusement on his face. "You are such a man, Lucy!" he exclaimed cheerfully. "Of course, I yield! Next time will be different, though, 'cause I won't underestimate you!"

Lucy grinned. "And I'll kick it up a notch," she replied jokingly as she pulled the ax away and offered Elfman her hand. He took it without hesitation and allowed her to lure him to his feet.

Levy began to clap, Gray joining in immediately, and that was when the dam broke.

~wWw~

Lucy was still smiling as she helped Elfman to his feet, adrenaline running through her veins from the fight they just had.

The sound of clapping and cheering drew her attention to her watching friends. 

_ Wow, I almost forgot they were there.  _

She blushed when the cheering and clapping intensified, the positive cheer from them bolstering her confidence even more. 

"That was amazing, Lucy!"

"You kicked his ass!"

"Way to go, Lucy!"

"Can I have a turn?"

"No, me next!"

Lucy's blush intensified as she heard her friends clambering to have a chance to spar against her. 

"You were awesome, Lucy," Elfman praised her. He rubbed the back of his head as embarrassment colored his cheeks. "Sorry, again, for underestimating you."

Lucy smiled before holding out her fist. "Don't worry about it."

Elfman grinned before bumping her fist with his. 

"Lucy!"

Said blonde looked over at the shout of her name to see Jellal, Meredy, Wendy, and Carla were hurrying towards them. Elfman bade her goodbye and walked away as Meredy, who was the one who called out to her, stopped next to her and said, "That was so cool! You should have seen everyone's faces when you and Elfman's fists collided."

Lucy laughed. "I wish I could've seen it too. I was mostly tuning everything out except for my fight."

Jellal stepped forward and cupped her face. "You were amazing. I am  _ so  _ proud of you."

Lucy smiled earnestly at him before she leaned up and kissed him. The cheering, which hadn't stopped while they were talking, increased in volume with catcalls and wolf whistles added to to the commotion.

When they broke apart, Lucy saw Levy hurrying up to them with Gray not too far behind. "Lu-chan," the blue-haired girl said after she stopped. "That was impressive!"

"Totally," Gray added with a smile, though his eyes did linger a second longer at Jellal's hand that fell to rest against Lucy's hip. "I think I want to spar against you now."

A couple of Fairy Tail members overheard Gray's comment and immediately began to protest.

"Nu-uh, I want to go next!"

"No way, dude! I want to spar against her!"

"Not a chance, buddy! Lucy, you'll pick me, right?"

"Like hell she will, she'll pick me!"

Lucy, Jellal, Levy, and Meredy began chuckling at the antics of their friends, while Wendy was trying to calm everyone, and Carla merely facepalmed. Even Natsu was clambering for the chance to spar against his best friend, which Gray instantly shot down, claiming that being Lucy's brother meant he gets to go before him.

"You might want to pick someone to spar against before this turns into a guild-wide battle," Jellal whispered in Lucy's ear, causing her to giggle even more. 

"Maybe you're right," she said with a smile as Gray tackled Natsu to the ground.

But just as she was able to choose someone, a voice rang out over all the others, silencing the conflict that was about to break out and turned heads. 

"I'll fight against you."

Jellal's arm tightened around her waist as Lucy turned to see who had spoken. When she saw who it was, she couldn't help but pale a bit.

~wWw~

**(Earlier)**

Erza watched as Lucy stood opposite Elfman, a confident grin on her face. 

She couldn't help but frown. 

_ What could she have accomplished in just two months that would make her that confident? Just what did she do in those two months that allowed her to take out the man responsible for imprisoning everyone? _

When Cana had finally started the match, Erza snapped to attention, curious to see how much her friend(?) had grown. 

She felt her eyes widen when she saw the seamless way Lucy slid underneath Elfman as a way to dodge and how she quickly put some distance between them.

_ She's more fluid and graceful.  _

When Lucy pulled out one of her keys, Erza squinted but couldn't see which one it was. Expecting Lucy to call out one of her spirits, she was shocked by what  _ did  _ happen.

"Star Dress: Taurus Form!"

Erza watched in surprise as Lucy's body lit up in a golden glow. When the light died down, her jaw dropped slightly at what she was seeing.

Lucy's whole outfit had changed. A bra with a cow pattern, black pants with only one leg, and gauntlets on her hands. Even her hairstyle had changed.

However, while she heard everyone else chattering in awe and amazement, all Erza felt was fury.

_ So, she has some bastardized version of my Requip magic, ne? Is that how she drew Jellal to her? By behaving like me? _

Erza watched the rest of the fight in some weird detachment, not even reacting at Lucy, showcasing how much stronger she became. She didn't join in with her guildmates cheering when Elfman yielded to Lucy, nor did she race up to her to congratulate her. 

However, when she saw Jellal and the others go up to her; when she saw Lucy and Jellal leaned towards one another; when she saw them  _ kiss _ , she saw  _ red _ .

She tried desperately to reign in her sudden anger (and maybe a little sadness that was buried beneath it all) and ignored all the catcalls and wolf-whistled that penetrated the air. 

Erza finally managed to get her emotions under control when she realized what everyone was talking about. 

_ So, everyone wants to spar against her? Well then, why not join the masses? _

She walked towards Lucy, the latter and the others too focused on everyone else to notice her approach. However, everything seemed to stop when she spoke. "I'll fight against you."

Jellal turned to her first, and a pang shot through her as she noticed him curl his arm around Lucy tighter. Lucy herself, when turned to face her, paled a little. 

(Was it wrong for Erza to derive a little pleasure from that?)

As Lucy stared at her, Erza heard someone quietly say, "Oh  _ shit _ !" 

"Well, Lucy?" Erza said impassively, her voice echoing in the sudden silence. "Do you accept my challenge?"

Lucy stared at her, uncertainty swimming in her irises. But then, she turned to Jellal. She saw something in the lines of his face that Erza wasn't quite able to see before she turned back to her. 

The uncertainty was gone, replaced by determination. 

"I do."

~wWw~

"Okay, people, one more time! Come place your bets!" Cana hollered. "Erza versus Lucy, the epic battle between two of Fairy Tail's strong women! Who do you think will win? Place your bets here!"

Jellal listened to Cana's shouting without really hearing anything. His eyes stayed glued to Lucy, who stood across from Erza, still dressed in her Taurus Star Dress. Despite the confident way she stood, Jellal could tell that his girl was nervous. 

_ He  _ thinks that she could do it. But he knew that Lucy knew that Erza wasn't an easy opponent; she's had years of training. However, she hasn't seen everything that Lucy could do, and that gave her an edge.

"Man, I hope she kicks her ass," Meredy muttered to his left. 

Levy, who was on her other side, let out a snort. "Preferably hard enough to knock her out of fantasy land," she declared with a smirk. 

On Jellal's right, Gray was rambling. "It's okay that I'm worried, right? I mean, Erza's nicknamed 'The Titania' for a reason. But, Lucy is tough too, so it's not like this will be an ass-kicking, and Lucy could beat her anyway. But -"

"Hey man," Jellal interrupted him and placed a and on his shoulder. Gray stopped talking and looked at him. "It'll be fine. Lucy has been training for the past couple of months, and she has more tricks up her sleeves."

Gray let out a sigh. "You're right," he admitted, his voice low enough that only Jellal heard. "Look, I know she's plenty capable of taking care of herself. But I haven't seen her in a long time, and when I do, we're all working together to free our friends, and we haven't had the time to sit and talk things over. And now, she's going up against Erza, who knows about you two, and...I'm pretty sure she didn't just volunteer to have a friendly spar."

Jellal's eyes darkened, and he gritted his teeth in anger. "I am aware," he responded quietly. "But, I don't think Erza would go so far as to hurt Lucy just for the sake of hurting her."

Gray glanced over at him. "You sure about that?"

Before Jellal could answer, Cana began yelling.

"Alright, the betting is closed!" she exclaimed. "The spar between Erza and Lucy shall commence in 5...!"

"4...!"

"3...!"

"2...!"

"1...!"

"And...BEGIN!"

~wWw~

"BEGIN!"

The word was barely out of Cana's mouth before Erza requipped into her Purgatory Armour, the giant mace clutched in her right hand before she lunged towards Lucy and swung at her.

Lucy's eyes widened and just barely managed to jump out of the way of the mace. She took out her whip and struck at her, but she dodged out of the way at the last second.

"Earth Wave!" Lucy shouted as she hit the ground with her whip.

The ground beneath Erza ruptured, and the redhead stumbled. Lucy took that chance to rush in and aimed a 'Lucy Kick' at her face. Erza evaded the attack just barely, and Lucy managed to clip her shoulder. The strength Lucy put into her kick sent Erza back slightly. 

Lucy lunged at Erza again with her first drawn back, intent on taking advantage of Erza's distraction. However, Ezra didn’t earn the nicknamed ‘Titania’ without a reason, and she avoided Lucy's strike before she swung her mace towards her.

Lucy hissed in pain as she felt the mace graze her arm and jumped back.

Erza stared at her blankly. "You've improved, Lucy."

Lucy didn't know how to respond to that.

Erza requipped into her Heaven's Wheel Armor without another word and quickly flew into the air. A bunch of other swords requipped into the air around her, as two more swords appeared in her hands. She used one to point down at Lucy. "Dance My Blades!"

All of the swords abruptly flew straight for Lucy.

_ Wow, she  _ really  _ isn't going easy on me. Not that I expected her to. _

Lucy weaved to and fro as she dodged out of the way of the incoming swords. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to avoid all of them and got a few slashes because of it.

After the assault was over, Lucy quickly changed into her Sagittarius Star Dress, ignoring all the sudden gasps that erupted after she did.

She lifted her bow and pulled back the string. "Star Shot!"

A series of energy arrows materialized and shot towards Erza, who immediately flew out of the way. Lucy saw the redhead's eyes widened in surprise as the arrows looped to follow her. 

Lucy watched as Erza flew around, trying to shake the energy arrows that were following her like homing beacons. The blonde pulled back the bowstring again, but this time, only one energy arrow formed.

Lucy got tunnel vision as she concentrated, her gaze never wavering from Erza's form. Titania was weaving around in the sky, twisting and swerving as she managed to get the arrows to crash into one another.

Lucy saw her chance when Erza turned to dodge one of the remaining arrows. "Shooting Star!"

The energy arrow flew from Lucy's bow and headed straight for the redhead.

_ Right on target. _

It crashed into Erza's back. She let out a small cry of pain as she was propelled forwards. The few remaining arrows that were following crashed into her as well, causing her to fall back down to the ground.

Lucy tensed slightly as she watched Erza get up from the ground slowly. When she was finally standing on her feet, Erza turned to face Lucy, and the look in her eyes made the blonde tense even further.

Erza then requipped again, and Lucy felt her eyes widen when she saw what she changed into.

It wasn't any of her armors; it was something that Erza called 'Clear Heart Clothing.' The one with red hakama pants with gold flame patterns on the bottom with a white sarashi wrapped around her chest.

Erza had once told Lucy that this particular outfit had no defense whatsoever, which allowed her to focus primarily on offense.

_ Which means I'll have to take it up a notch too. _

Lucy transformed into her Cancer Star Dress. Things were about to escalate even more.

~wWw~

Gray watched the fight between his longtime friend and his little sister-figure with many emotions thrumming through him; awe and worry were at the forefront though. When Lucy struck the ground with her whip and made it rupture, Gray couldn't keep his jaw from dropping in shock at her strength; when Lucy change into another outfit that came equipped with a bow, Gray was immensely impressed, especially when she used that bow to knock Erza out of the sky.

However, when he saw Erza requip into her Clear Heart Clothing, he began to get nervous. Gray knew that she only changed into that outfit when she was deadly serious. 

She used that outfit against Jellal in the Tower of Heaven when he was still possessed; he knew she used that outfit when she fought Azuma and was with her when she used it against Hades; finally, she used it in the Grand Magic Games against the S-class monster in Pandemonium, Kagura, and Minerva.

_ Her using that outfit is  _ not  _ good. Why the hell would she bring it out? _

As worry began to gather inside him, Gray saw Lucy light up in a golden glow as she changed her outfit again. When the glow went away, he felt his eyebrows hit his hairline.

Lucy was now wearing some sort of white kimono shirt with wide sleeves beneath a light blue qipao and a big red ribbon wrapped her waist. She had on kneehigh socks and flipflops on her feet. Her hair changed too, going in two high pigtails.

She had a sword in each hand, both of them shape like halves of scissors.

The cancer sign was embroidered on her front.

That was all Gray had time to notice before both girls lunged for one another. There was a blur and then a 'CLANG' sound as their swords collided with the other’s, both of their faces showing concentration as they tried to force the other to relent.

"This is insane!"

"Lucy is actually keeping up with her. Damn."

"Unreal!"

"Is Lucy as strong as Erza?"

As the fight dragged on, Gray couldn't keep the awe off his face as he watched Lucy and Erza trade blows with their swords. The way they fended off each other's hits; the way their bodies moved as if they were dancing; the way Lucy dodged out of the way at the last moment on a slash; the way Erza visibly struggled to push back an overhead swing from both of Lucy's swords; the way Lucy got cut on her leg but still kept going.

All of that amazed him.

Finally, after what seemed like watching an hour-long live-action movie, Erza managed to get the upper hand on Lucy. She swung her swords, and while Lucy rushed to parry them, Erza executed a roundhouse kick that sent Lucy flying away from them. Really, really far. Erza quickly followed.

"Kūso," Gray heard Jellal curse under his breath. He turned in time to see him rush after them, Meredy, Wendy, Carla hot on his heels.

Gray turned and exchanged a look with Levy before they, too, rushed off.

As they left, Gray heard Mira say, "I have a feeling this about more than just a spar."

_ Mira, you have  _ no  _ idea.  _

~wWw~

Lucy groaned in pain as she finally crashed down to the ground a ways away from everyone else.

_ Ow! Kūso, that really hurt!  _

After Lucy got to her feet she had to quickly jump out of the way to avoid an overhead hit. Erza's swords struck the ground and Lucy's eyes widened when she saw how deep her swords went into the earth.

She gripped her swords and used them to block another strike from Erza. Her arms shook from how much force went into the blow, and that's when she began to worry.

_ Something's changed. She's more...fierce. More driven. She’s acting almost...predatory. _

When Lucy blocked another blow that made her arm tremble, she spoke up. "Erza, what are you doing?"

Erza's face finally changed from the blank one that she was wearing the entire fight. 

She now looked mad.

"What am I doing?" she repeatedly heatedly as she jumped back. "What am  _ I _ doing? What about you? What are  _ you  _ doing?!"

Lucy frowned before jumping back herself. "What? What are you talking about?"

"Jellal!" the redhead burst out. "Why are you dating Jellal?"

Lucy stared at her in shock. "I love him Erza," she said slowly, trying to process what exactly was happening.

"So do I," Erza responded strongly. "But he chose you!"

Lucy stepped back.

"I knew him longer! I was always there for him! We understand each other in a way no one else does! But he still chose you!" Titania continued. "Why are you with him?! Did I do something to make you mad? Are you with him because you have similar magic? Just...just  _ why _ ?!" Her voice had raised slightly, not enough for the others to hear though, and her face was contorted in rage. However, Lucy saw something else there as well.

Pain.

_ Oh gosh. She's hurting, isn't she? I...I never meant to hurt her. Neither of us meant to hurt her... _

"I'm sorry."

Erza felt her eyes widen. "What?"

"I'm sorry," Lucy repeated. Her brown eyes bore into Erza's own. "I am so, so sorry, Erza. I didn't mean to hurt you. Jellal and I  _ never  _ meant to hurt you. But being with Jellal isn't about you; I  _ love  _ him. I honestly care about him and his happiness. He makes me happy and I make him happy. We love each other, Erza."

Erza's frown began getting deeper the longer Lucy talked. By the time she was finished speaking, her frown was so pronounced she'd probably have lines on her face. "I don't believe you."

Lucy sighed. "Whether you believe me or not, what I said was the truth. And I don't want to continue fighting you."

She ended her sentence by dropping her swords.

Erza scowled. "Pick up your swords."

Lucy shook her head. "No."

"I said PICK UP YOUR DAMN SWORDS!"

"No, Erza," Lucy said, her voice calm. "We need to stop. This doesn't need to escalate any further."

Erza glared at her. When Lucy refused to say anything more, she let out a guttural scream before lunging at Lucy with her own swords raised.

Lucy's brows hit her hairline as she stumbled back a step in shock.

" _ NO _ !"

A figure darted in front of her, their arms raised slightly. 

Erza felt her own eyes widened as she saw Jellal leap in front of Lucy with his arms raised.

She halted in her attack at the sight of him.

He reminded her of someone else who stood like that.

Uncle Rob.

He stood like that in front of Erza to save her.

And now Jellal is standing like that in front of Lucy.

To protect her.

From Erza.

Erza's swords dropped from her numb fingers.

Memories started flitting through her mind, one after the other, from the time Lucy and the others have left, until now.

She saw herself as though watching a film. Her actions and her words.

Shame and disgust filled her body, all aimed at herself.

_ Who is this? Who is this person I've become? _

"Erza?"

Erza looked up and saw Lucy staring at her from behind Jellal. Her eyes were wide. "Erza, are you okay?"

It was only then that Erza realized that tears were steadily rolling down her cheeks. At that moment, she broke.

A sob rose up from her throat. And then another, and another, and another until she was full-on sobbing. She dropped to her knees and closed her eyes as she continued to cry her heart out, her arms wrapping around her torso as if to physically hold herself together.

And then she felt arms encircle her and hold her tight. "It's okay," Lucy's voice said in her ear. "Everything is okay."

"No, it's not," Erza countered immediately, her voice shaky. "It's definitely  _ not  _ okay! I-I I am so sorry Lucy! I am so sorry! I'm a horrible friend!"

"It's fine, Erza."

"No, no it's not!"

_ It's not fine! None of this is fine! And it's my fault. It's  _ all  _ my fault! _

~wWw~

"I didn't expect that," Meredy admitted as they all watched Erza walk away. She wasn't going back towards the guildhall.

"Neither did I," Levy said, her brow furrowed.

"I think I did," Jellal said slowly, his arms crossed as he watched Wendy heal the few cuts and slashes on Lucy. "Erza's not...a bad person and, ultimately, she cares about all her friends. I think...I think that she was just blindsided by everything."

"That doesn't excuse the way she was acting," Gray said sternly, his arms crossed.

"No, it doesn't," Carla agreed.

"She just reacted badly," Lucy responded, smiling at Wendy as the younger girl stepped back from healing her. Lucy's form glowed briefly before it went away and Lucy was back in her original clothes. "I'm not saying that what she did was okay, but...I guess I understand."

Levy chuckled as she shook her head. "You are probably the most forgiving person I know Lu-chan."

Wendy giggled at that. "True."

Lucy rolled her eyes good-naturedly and smiled. "We should head back to the guildhall. I'm pretty sure they all left when Erza and I came all the way over here."

Gray shrugged. "If you say so. You sure you're not too tired?"

"I'm fine," Lucy insisted.

"Well alright then."

The seven of them headed back toward the guildhall, the atmosphere easy between them while Levy and Gray questioned Lucy about her Star Dresses.

However, at the back of her mind, Lucy was a little worried over Erza.

_ I hope she's doing okay. _

When they finally arrived at the guild, they all stopped in shock. All the tables and chairs were pushed to the sides. Max and Laki were up on stage talking to each other, both of them with their hands wrapped around microphones. Behind them, Laxus and the Thunder Legion were stationed with instruments set up near them.

"What...what is going on?" Lucy asked blankly as she and the others made their way inside.

"Hey, you guys are finally here!" Mira called out as they stepped near the stage. "You're just in time!"

"In time for what?" Jellal asked her.

"A concert!" Mira chirped. 

"A concert?" Gray asked blankly.

"Hai," Mira nodded. "Consider this your welcome back/welcome-to-the-guild gift. I asked Max and Laki -"

"-more like demanded," Max, who overheard them, muttered as Laki giggled.

"-to sing a song for us," Mira continued without batting an eye. "Laxus and the others agreed to play the song for us, too."

"You mean threatened us until we folded," Bixlow interjected. Laxus slapped him upside his head without looking away from his guitar.

"Ow! What the hell man?!"

"Anyways," Mira ignored the banter up on the stage with aplomb, "now that you guys are here, we can start!"

She then frowned. "Wait, where's Erza?"

Lucy shifted uncomfortably as Levy answered, "I think she went home. Said she wasn't feeling herself."

"Oh," Mira blinked. "Well we don't have time to wait, we should get started."

She turned towards Max and Laki. "Go ahead, you guys."

"You got it, Mira," Max nodded before he yelled into the microphone. "What's up, Fairy Tail!"

Everyone cheered.

"This song is dedicated to Lucy, Wendy, Carla, Jellal, and Meredy! Alright people, let's get this started!"

Everyone cheered again even louder as Max turned back towards Laxus. "Hit it, you guys!"

Laxus nodded before he and the others began playing. 

**(A/N: The song that they're going to be singing is the full version of the Death Parade opening. If you'd like to follow along, the song is titled 'Flyers'. And it's one of my favorite Japanese songs by the way.)**

"Whoooaaaaa," he sang. "Yeah, yeah."

The music started picking up in tempo and everyone couldn't help but start dancing to it - or at least swaying side to side. Max started singing again:

"Kou nattara ii na no 

Mousou to genjitsu ni 

Isseki wo toujite

Kosei wo migake.

"Kakaenayamu nandai o

Mata hitotsu shoukyo

Atama kara ketsu made

Sore ga wa ga entame."

Laki cut in then. "Boom Boom Boom, dancing through the skies!"

"Mada shijanai 

Sa himotoita chouai o!"

"Boom Boom Boom, dancing through the skies!"

"Maji kettobashite 

Motto maiagatte!"

Max and Laki began to sing together:

"Everybody, put your hands up!

Saa flyin'

Tsubasa ni nare!

"Mitemitai na

Muchuu ni nareru kimi 

Imada seichouki

Shinsekai e!"

There was a break in the singing as the music just played. Lucy felt her hand get grabbed and turned to see Jellal grinning at her. "Dance with me!" he shouted to be heard over the loud music and cheering in the air.

Lucy couldn't help but grin back. "Sure!"

Jellal pulled her into his arms and many others began pairing up as well as Max started singing again. 

"Modokashi kute mou

Douka shite iru 

Mugamuchuu nareru 

Mono ga hoshi!

"Fugai nai hiide tenai 

Nante kawaikunai ne 

Konpurekkusu wa sakate

Ni totte orijinariti!"

Laki cut in once again. "Boom Boom Boom, dancing through the skies!"

"Yara nakya yamai 

De yamadzumi no mondai mo!"

"Boom Boom Boom, dancing through the skies!"

"Motto waruagaite

Shoutai o abaite!"

Both Max and Laki paused with the music to start clapping rhythmically with some guild members, including Lucy and Jellal, joining in. 

"Everybody, put your hands up!

Saa flyin'

Sono imeeji de!

"Kitto nareru sa 

Naritai jibun ni

Sagase you're the one 

Oobutai e!"

"Flyin'!" Laki sang. 

"Wasureteta-"

"-Flyin'-"

"Kioku no naka de!"

"Mou ichido mune no takanari o kike!"

Max and Laki then started harmonizing, their voices blending together beautifully as everyone danced on the floor beneath them. They then stop as Laxus and the others began a fast-paced piece without words. 

As Jellal twirled her around, Lucy glanced about. 

She saw Meredy, Gray, and Cana dancing together, all three of them laughing. 

She saw Wendy and Carla - in her human form, obviously - together, along with Romeo, who seemed to have got dragged there by Wendy. 

She saw Levy dancing with Gajeel as Jet and Droy tried to show off next to them. 

She saw Natsu dancing next to Lisanna, who was giggling madly as she tried to calm him down. 

She saw Happy and Lily (in his exceed form) flying over the heads of everyone as their bodies swayed to the music. 

She saw everyone laughing and smiling and having a good time. 

Finally, Max and Laki began singing again. 

"Everybody, put your hands up!

Saa flyin'

Tsubasa ni nare!

"Mitemitai na

Muchuu ni nareru kimi 

Imada seichouki 

Shinsekai e!"

"Everybody, put your hands up!

Saa flyin'

Sono imeeji de!

"Kitto nareru sa

Naritai jibun ni

Sagase you're the one

Oobutai e!"

"Flyin'!"

"Wasureteta-"

"-Flyin-"

"Kioku no naka de!"

"Mou ichido mune no takanari o kike!" they finished together. 

They then began to harmonize once more as Laxus and the Thunder Legion played the ending of the song. 

As the end of the song came about, Lucy took the time to look around her once more. 

Everyone was cheering on the people up on the stage, wide grins and smiles clear as day on their faces. 

Everyone was so happy and carefree as they shouted and called out praise and compliments to the performers and Lucy couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face even if she wanted to. 

She was surrounded by people who loved and cared for her; people she cared for and loved in return

These were her friends. 

These were her  _ family _ .

Lucy was a little sad that Erza couldn't be here to share in this but she was confident that Erza would be back. She was the strongest person Lucy knew. 

And as the Thunder Legion played the last note of the melody and Max and Laki ended the song, she turned to find Jellal watching her. 

He smiled at her before leaning in. "Glad to be home?" he asked her. 

Lucy grinned and leaned in to press their lips together firmly, before leaning back and saying, "Glad to be home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god, that was probably the longest chapter of anything I've ever written, and there is only the Epilogue left!
> 
> Okay guys, serious time: I always planned on Lucy and Erza fighting each other because I really can't see them shouting each other down because of a guy, even if it was Jellal. Plus I thought it would be a good way for everyone to see just how far Lucy had come. 
> 
> What happened with Erza I meant to happen too. She isn't the villain, she was just hurt and lashed out (albeit in a violent way but...it's Erza). I thought if she realized just how far she had fallen she'd get a serious reality check and see just what type of person she was turning into.
> 
> Well, that's it, you guys. There's only the Epilogue now.
> 
> For those of you who don't want this to end and love the dynamic between Lucy and the others - well, look out for an Author's Note next chapter. That's all I'll say on the matter.


	29. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please be sure to read the entire author's note at the end. Thank you!

~Epilogue: 18 Years Later~

It was a beautiful day out in Magnolia. The sun was shining, a warm breeze drifted steadily through the town, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky in sight.

It was like the day was straight out of a scene from a fairytale.

In the marketplace, sometime in the late morning, as merchants sold their wares and customers clamored to buy them, one of the shoppers noticed something out of the corner of her eye. She turned, her curiosity getting the best of her, and smiled at what she saw.

"Hey, Ban," she muttered to the man behind the stall, getting his attention. When he looked towards her, she motioned her head down the street. "Look, it's the Fernandes Twins."

The merchant, Ban, looked over as well and grinned. "So I see."

The two above-mentioned teens walked down the path, their heads turning as they looked around curiously at all the items that were for sale.

One of the teens was a fifteen-year-old girl, her long blonde hair streaked with blue moving slightly in the wind. She looked to the other teen walking next to her. "Mom and dad are coming home today," she said. "Should we get them something?"

The other teen, a boy who was also fifteen-years-old with blonde hair but without the streaks of blue, stopped looking around to glance at her. "You mean like a welcome back gift?" he asked.

She nodded her head. "Hai, exactly like that!"

The boy sighed. "I don't know, Layla. We're already pretty late, and we promised Ojisan and Obasan that we'd be at the guildhall by noon."

The girl, Layla, deflated as she realized her brother was right. "Do you think they'll make an exception just this once, Simon?"

Her twin brother, Simon, shook his head with a slight smile. "I doubt it. Mom and dad made sure that since we were going to be home alone for a week that they kept an eye on us while they were away. They wouldn't like us being late; you know how paranoid they can be."

Layla winced slightly, knowing what Simon was talking about. She loved her Aunt and Uncle to pieces, but they can be extremely overprotective.

She shook off the memory. "Why must you torment me with traumatizing memories?" she complained, only half-serious.

Simon wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "It's my job as your older brother."

"Only by three minutes!"

"Still counts, _ imouto _."

Layla pouted but didn't move from under his arm as they left the bazaar and began to approach the guildhall. "Do you think we'll be in trouble?"

"We're not that late," Simon said easily. "Besides, I think that they'll be a little lenient today."

Layla turned her head as much as she could while still under his arm and gave him an incredulous look. "What makes you say that?"

"Because Ojisan and Obasan miss mom and dad almost as much as we do," he answered. "They'll be distracted a little bit."

Layla smiled. "If you say so."

Finally, after walking for ten more minutes, they arrived at the guildhall.

After they pushed opened the doors, their ears were assaulted with the clamor that is known as Fairy Tail.

As they stepped inside, Layla began looking around for her best friend. "Hey, Simon, do you see Lyric?"

Simon, too, began looking around, since he was a couple of inches taller than his sister and could see over the many people mingling in the guild. "Ah," he said suddenly. "I see her."

"Where?"

"Over there," he said, pointing. "She's sitting with Ojisan and Obasan."

Layla wilted. "Aw man," she whined. "I hope you're right about them not reaming us for being late."

Simon rolled his eyes and made his way towards them with Layla following behind him, grumbling all the while.

The table they were walking towards had three people sitting at it; a man, a woman, and a teen girl.

The man was tall, evident even as he was sitting down. He had black spiky hair and indigo eyes in his pale face, along with a scar over his eye that was hidden by his hair. There were crinkles in the corners of his eyes that indicated how much he smiled and a slight smirk was hiding in the corners of his mouth.

This man was Gray Fullbuster, Ice-Make Mage of Fairy Tail.

The woman sitting across from him wasn't as tall as he was. She had short pink hair that stopped just at her shoulders in a stylish bob. Her wine-red eyes glowed with mischief as she leaned forward to say something to him, her mouth tilted up in a grin.

This woman was Gray's wife, Meredy Fullbuster, Fairy Tail's very own Maguilty Mage.

And finally, sitting next to them was their daughter, Lyric Fullbuster, and Layla's best friend. Lyric had short black hair that fell to her shoulders. Like Layla, she had streaks of color in her hair, although hers was pink instead of blue. She inherited her father's eyes but had her mother's cheerful and playful attitude. Despite being a whole year younger than them, only fourteen years old, she and Layla were really close.

Lyric was the first one at the table to notice the twins' approach and waved. "Layla!" she shouted happily. "And Simon, too! Hey guys!"

Her parents stopped conversing when she had first shouted and turned to face the incoming teens. Gray smirked and stood up to meet them. "Well, look who decided to finally show up," he said teasingly, his arms open to accept the hug from Simon

"Sorry, Ojisan," Simon muttered as he hugged his honorary uncle. "Layla took _forever _to get ready. I'm pretty sure she changed her outfit, like, three times."

"I did not!" Layla protested as she stepped forward to hug Gray after Simon stepped back. "I just couldn't find my necklace!"

"You made us late just because you couldn't find a necklace?"

"Hey, it's a special necklace!" Layla insisted as she went to sit beside Lyric, who gave her a one-armed hug. She fingered the small blue jewel hanging around her neck as Gray sat back down. "It's the one you guys got me for my birthday last year."

"Aww," Meredy smiled. "I'm glad you like it. When Lyric-chan saw it, she insisted that we had to get it for you."

"Well, duh!" Lyric squealed. "I know the kinds of things my best friend likes!"

"Ugh," Simon muttered under his breath. "I don't get women's obsession with jewelry."

"What was that, Simon-kun?" Meredy asked him, her smile becoming a tad bit wicked.

"N-Nothing, Obasan!"

Gray let out a laugh as he leaned back in his chair. "Are you guys excited?" he asked them.

Simon perked up. "Totally! Mom and Dad have never been gone this long before."

"I know right?" Layla nodded. "The house feels so weird with just me and Simon there."

Lyric sighed. "Well, I think it's cool that you don't have any parental supervision." She then grinned. "Think of all the things you could do!"

Gray cleared his throat and Lyric flicked a glance at him, her eyes wide. "And what, young lady, are some of the things she could do?"

Layla hid her grin behind her hand.

_ I guess she forgot that she was sitting at a table with Ojisan and Obasan. _

Meredy, bless her heart, interrupted before Lyric could speak. "Gray, let's go check with Mira about Lucy and Jellal's mission. I want to see when they'll be back."

Gray gave her a Look, knowing full well that she was just trying to distract him, but he allowed it. He did want to know when his little sister was coming back, after all. "Alright, fine."

Lyric grinned as her mom and dad got up and made their way towards the bar. However, her grin vanished when Gray called over his shoulder, "This isn't over, Lyric Fullbuster!"

Meredy glanced behind her and mouthed 'Good luck.'

"I'm going to need it," the black-and-pink-haired teen whimpered in despair.

Layla finally gave in the urge to giggle. "No worries, girl," she laughed. "You can come over to our house once mom and dad get home."

"Whoa," Simon interrupted. "I didn't say that was okay."

"Well, it's not up to you, _ brother dear_," Layla responded sweetly.

Simon groaned but otherwise didn't respond.

_ That'll make three women in the house. Dad and I will be _outnumbered_. _

"Hey, Simon, Layla. Glad you guys finally got here."

The two mentioned teens, along with Lyric, looked up at the new voice.

"Shiro!" Simon exclaimed. "Hey man, how's it going?"

The teen standing next to their table smirked at them. He was sixteen years old and was slightly taller than both of the Fernandes Twins. He had amber eyes, black spikey hair that was pulled into a low ponytail, and a silver piercing in his nose.

He was Shiro Redfox, Simon's best friend–

"Oh, h-hi, Sh-Shiro," Layla stuttered, a blush on her face. "Nice to see you!"

–and Layla's crush.

Simon forced himself not to roll his eyes.

_ Geez, of all people, why did my little sister have a crush on my best friend? Crap like that was only supposed to happen in books and movies. _

"Nice to see you too, Lay," Shiro responded as he sat down in the seat next to her. "Today's the day your parents get back, right?"

"H-Hai!"

"Cool," he said, his smirk widening. "Maybe we'll finally get to go on a mission when they're back."

Layla nodded frantically. "I know, right?" she asked, her blush fading slightly after more prolonged exposure to her crush. "Our team hasn't taken any mission the whole time they were gone."

Their team, consisting of Layla, Simon, Lyric, and Shiro, was nicknamed 'Team Nemesis' based on the fact that they've earned the ire of the people they've put away.

Layla had inherited her father's Heavenly Body Magic and was positively _ruthless _when she used it, despite her cheerful demeanor. Her father was so happy that she displayed an aptitude for his brand of magic that he wouldn't stop beaming for almost a week when he first found out.

While Layla inherited her father's magic, Simon decided to follow his mother's footsteps in using Celestial Spirit Magic. When he had enough magic power, his mom gave him three of her Golden Celestial Keys; Cancer, Aries, and Taurus, as well as one of her Silver Keys; Aquila, The Eagle. And when he managed to expand his magic core, he was allowed to wear 'Star Suits' (because he _refused _to call them 'Star Dresses,' especially considering they shaped according to his gender and body shape). Whenever he donned one, he dominated the battlefield.

Lyric had shown signs of being an Ice Mage when she was young (she had thrown a tantrum because her mom wasn't able to be home from a mission when she said she'd be, and frost had grown over their windows.) Her father had been happy that he could pass on the teachings of his former teacher to his daughter.

And finally, Shiro inherited his father's Iron Dragon Slayer Magic. He actually teethed on slabs of iron when he was little (a fact that always had Simon roaring with laughter and Shiro's mother, Levy, facepalm with a groan whenever the subject was brought up.)

"What time do they get back?" Shiro asked as he leaned back in his seat.

"We're not sure," Layla admitted, biting her lip. "I hope it's before this evening, though."

"Tell me about it," Simon agreed. "Being the responsible one all the time is exhausting."

"Hey!" Layla exclaimed, her tone offended.

"I hear you, man," Shiro sighed. "It's a workout."

Layla glared at both of them as they fist-bumped, smirks on their faces.

Lyric chuckled. "Speaking of being the responsible one..." she said as her eyes drifted behind Shiro's head.

"Huh?" Shiro turned to see what she meant. "Oh."

Another person was walking towards their table. A young thirteen-year-old girl with black hair and red eyes behind dark blue glasses.

This girl was Momo Redfox, the younger sister of Shiro.

"Hey, Momo," Shiro said as she stepped up next to their table.

"Hey, Shiro-oniisan," she said calmly, her eyes never leaving the book in her hands.

Lyric hid a smile behind her hand.

_ Momo could be as strong-willed as Layla, but when she has a book in her hands, she's like a completely different person. Kind of like her mom, Levy-oba. _

Shiro's eyebrow ticked upwards as she just stood there. "Is there a reason you're just standing there, imouto?"

"Hm?" Momo looked up from her book. "Oh, right. Gray-jisan asked me to tell you two," she pointed to Simon and Layla, "that your parents should be here soon."

Layla perked up. "Really?"

"How soon is 'soon'?" Simon asked her.

Momo shrugged her shoulders, her attention already back on her book. "I don't know, I didn't ask. See you guys later."

She walked off then, navigating the rowdy guild while still having her nose buried in her book.

Shiro shook his head. "Kami-sama," he sighed. "Sometimes it's scary how much she acts like our mom."

"Lyric is the same way," Layla said.

"I am not!" the aforementioned girl opposed immediately.

"Yes, you are!" Layla giggled. "Even mom said you're almost like a twin of Obasan. You even convinced me to sneak out to get my hair dyed with you!"

"Okay, well _excuse me _if I didn't want to look like a female version of my father! And you wanted to dye your hair for the same reasons as I did! You didn't want to look like a copy of your mom!"

"Yeah, but when I turned sixteen! Do you know how much trouble I got into? It didn't matter that the streaks in my hair were blue like dad's hair, I still got grounded!"

"C'mon, we were eleven and twelve! Are you still mad about that?"

Simon leaned over to murmur to Shiro. "You see her proving the point of my statement?"

Shiro chuckled, causing the two best friends to stop arguing and focus on them. "Women, am I right?"

"Excuse me?" both Layla and Lyric asked, their voices low compared to the loud pitch they were using earlier.

Simon sighed.

_ Man, you should _definitely _know not to say that. Would do you think would have happened if my mom or Obasan heard that? Or worse, your own mom? _

"Maa, Layla-chan, I don't think your mom and dad want to come home to you strangling someone," a woman's voice said next to them.

Simon turned to look while the girls stopped their deadly staring and Shiro gave her a grateful look.

The woman who spoke was standing next to a man and they both had a child in their arms. The woman had long, dark blue hair, much darker than Simon and Layla's father's own hair. Her honey eyes were bright with warmth and her lips were tilted into a slight smile.

Her name was Wendy Conbolt, the Sky Maiden of Fairy Tail.

The man standing next to her was taller than her by a couple of inches. He had dark purple hair that fell to his shoulders and ebony eyes. One side of his mouth was tilted up in a smirk as he eyed Shiro's relieved expression.

His name was Romeo Conbolt, Wendy's Husband, and Fairy Tail's Flame Mage.

In Wendy's arms was a child only three years old. He had dark purple hair with brown eyes and was currently sucking on his thumb.

The child in Romeo's arm was a six-year-old girl that was resting on his hip. Her own onyx eyes were wide as she watched the two girls calm down from their (righteous) anger and her two blue pigtails swung from side to side as she glanced between them.

Their names were Riku and Anna Conbolt.

"Sorry, Wendy-oba," Layla said sheepishly, Lyric looking contrite next to her.

Wendy chuckled. "It's alright. Just be glad that Erza didn't see you three."

All the teens shuddered at the thought of their scary aunt.

"No need to traumatize us with frightening mental images, Wendy-oba," Shiro muttered, a hand over his heart.

Romeo snorted. "Please, your mothers are scarier than Erza," he said as he shifted Anna to his other hip. "Especially yours," he added, nodding to Shiro.

"But I've never seen my mom really mad," Shiro admitted.

"Then you're lucky you've never done anything so idiotic to get her that mad at you," Romeo stated bluntly. "Ask anyone; Levy Redfox is _ terrifying _."

Shiro thought that sentence over in his head for a bit. "That actually sounds cool," he decided.

"Famous last words," Romeo mumbled before yelping slightly as his wife punched him in the arm not holding their daughter.

"No need to scare the kids, Romeo," Wendy smiled but with a sinister undertone.

Lyric fidgetted.

_ Forget Levy-oba, all of our female family members are scary. _

Before Romeo could come up with a response, Wendy's body tensed and her eyes flashed towards the guild doors.

"Is something the matter, Wendy?" Romeo asked. Anna was falling asleep in his arms and he shifted her weight once more.

Wendy's nostrils flared and a beaming smile overtook her face. "I can smell them approaching the guild."

Layla sat up. "Wait, do you mean mom and dad?"

"Hai."

"C'mon!" Layla exclaimed as she jumped up and grabbed Simon's hand. "Let's go meet them!"

"Calm down, imouto!" Simon groaned with annoyance they both knew was fake. "Stop yanking on my arm!"

"Nope!"

The two hurried to the doors and plowed through them to the outside. 

They both looked around at the many people loitering outside and in front of the guild. As she looked around intently, Layla saw a flash of blue and gold, and a large smile split her face.

She hurried forward with Simon right on her heels.

"Mom! Dad!"

Seconds later, she collided into the chest of her father, his arms already wrapping around her tightly.

"Hey, baby girl," Layla heard him say as she heard her mom greet her brother. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," she said as she leaned back to look into his face.

Her father was a tall man, easily taller than most of her uncles. He had blue hair that, sadly, she did not inherit normally. His dark emerald eyes, the same eyes that she and her brother had, were sparkling with warmth and affection as he stared down at her. Laugh lines were on his forehead and his eyes crinkled at the corners, showing how much he smiled and laughed.

His name was Jellal Fernandes, Fairy Tail's Astro Warrior.

"What, I don't get a hug?" came the teasing voice of her mother as Simon stepped away from her.

Layla was wrapping her arms around her before she finished the sentence, as Simon went to embrace their dad.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you guys," Layla mumbled after a while.

Her mother laughed. "I think I have a good idea," she responded as they finally broke their hug and Layla smiled up at her.

Her mother had long blonde hair that went to her hips with bangs that fell over her forehead and golden brown eyes that were always warm with love and fondness.

(Except when she and her brother were acting idiotic, despite there being only a few incidents. Getting blue streaks in her hair to match her father was, unfortunately, not the worst thing she had ever done.)

Her mouth was shaped into a beaming smile as she stared down at Layla, her hands on her shoulders.

Her name was Lucy Fernandes, Jellal's wife, and Fairy Tail's Celestial Princess.

When both Lucy and Jellal are on the battlefield together, or just seen together in public, they are called 'The Twin Stars' of Fairy Tail.

"Well, you two don't look maimed or missing any body parts, so I'm assuming that you didn't fight a lot," Jellal teased, his arm around Simon's shoulder.

"Hey!" Layla rioted as her brother laughed at her expression.

"It was touch and go for a while," Simon said with a grin.

"Traitor!" she accused over her mother's giggling.

"Why don't we head in?" Lucy suggested, squeezing Layla's shoulders once before dropping her arm.

"Hai, let's go in, I'm tired," Jellal said, before taking his wife's hand and leading her and their children back inside.

Layla had to hold in the squeal that wanted to erupted when her father took her mother's hand.

_ Kami-sama, they're still so lovey-dovey with each other! They're _so _in love! I hope I have that when I'm older. _

As soon as the quartet stepped inside the guildhall, there was a loud squeal.

"LUCY! JELLAL!"

Layla and Simon barely had the time to dodge out of the way before Meredy crushed both of their parents in a rib-cracking hug.

"I've missed you guys _so much _!" she exclaimed as she continued to squeeze them. "You're not allowed to leave for that long again!"

"We missed you too, Meredy," Lucy gasped as she tried to hug the excitable pinkette back, while also drawing in a breath.

Jellal was already looking a little blue in the face.

"Mer," Gray spoke up, his face suggesting he was trying very hard not to laugh. "You might want to loosen your hug so they can, you know, breathe."

"Hm?" Meredy glanced at the two people in her arms and noticed their blue faces. "Oh! Sorry!"

She hastily let them go and watched as they breathed in huge gulps of air.

"Well," Lucy coughed as Jellal sent a playful glare to their sniggering children. "That's one way to be welcomed home, I guess."

"My bad," Meredy admitted sheepishly as she turned the back of her head. "I guess I got a little over-excited."

"Yes, a _ little _over-excited," Gray laughed as he stepped forward to hug the two. "You guys didn't get hurt, right? I mean, other than being attacked by my wife when you walked through the doors."

"_ Gray _!" Meredy whined to her husband as he teased her.

By his time, Layla and Simon were red in the face from the effort of their laughter.

"No, we're fine," Jellal answered, accepting the hug from his sort-of-brother-in-law. "The worst thing we got is a couple of bruises."

"But nothing too bad, right?" Layla asked, her previous amusement fading away. Besides her, Simon's body language suggested nonchalance but his eyes showed his worries.

"Hai, hai," Jellal grinned before ruffling her hair, laughing when she ducked away with a whined 'dad!' and tried fixing her hair.

"Why don't we all just sit down?" Lucy suggested. "We can tell you more about our mission then."

Layla brightened almost immediately. "Okay!" she agreed exuberantly. She grabbed her dad's hand. "C'mon, we were sitting at a table with Lyric and Shiro."

"You guys go ahead," Meredy waved them towards the table. "Gray and I still need to speak to Mira. We just came over to say hi."

"Alright," Lucy said. "Talk to you later?"

"You know it, girl," Meredy grinned before embracing the blonde one last time and headed back towards the bar. Gray sent both of them smiles before following his wife.

"C'mon!" Layla exclaimed again, tugging on his hand again. Jellal laughed and let her pull him towards their destination as Simon stared.

"Is everything okay?" his mom asked as she wrapped an arm his shoulders.

"Yes," he answered after a moment. "I just...I mean, I've really missed you guys."

Her face softened. "Oh, sweetie," she said softly her arm squeezing a little tighter. "Your dad and I missed you guys, too."

Simon smiled and leaned more into his mother's embrace as they walked over towards the remainder of their family.

~wWw~

Layla leaned back in her seat with a smile as she glanced about her. Lyric, Shiro, and Simon were all leaning forward as they listened to her dad tell them about the mission with her mom jumping in every once in a while to add something he missed.

When her mom and Simon finally joined them, Wendy released Jellal from a hug she was giving him to crush her in a hug as well.

(Well, crush her as much as she could with a three-year-old in one arm.)

Even little Anna woke up to give her aunt and uncle hugs.

After the quartet had left, Simon had all but begged to be told the story of how their mission went with the rest of them pleading as well.

Which led them to their current situation.

"While he was focused on Lucy," Jellal was saying, "I was able to rush him and knock him out."

"Whoa," Shiro said, awe on his face. "That sounds so cool."

"I know right?" Simon agreed.

"You're so awesome Jellal-oji," Lyric announced with literal stars in her eyes. "You too, Lucy-oba."

"Thanks for the compliment," Jellal said with a grin while Lucy just laughed.

"Lu-chan!" A voice called out. "Jellal! Welcome back, you guys!"

The group of six turned towards the voice.

It belonged to a young woman who was sort of on the short side. She had wild hair in a shade of blue, a lighter shade than Jellal's own hair, that was held back with a headband and chocolate brown eyes.

Her mouth was stretched in a beaming smile as she approached them, happiness literally wafting off her in waves.

The woman was named Levy Redfox, wife of the infamous Gajeel Redfox, and mother of Shiro and Momo.

(And while she's the wife of a Dragon Slayer, it is of the opinion of every Fairy Tail mage and other guilds that she is the scarier person of the two.)

"Levy-chan!" Lucy squealed excitedly before the bluenette tackled her best friend in a hug. She then moved to hug Jellal, nearly squeezing the breath out of the poor man.

"It's good to see you too, Levy," he spoke wheezed.

"Hi, Levy-oba," Lyric, Layla, and Simon chorused.

"Hey, mom," Shiro spoke up.

"Hello everyone," she said as she let go of Jellal. "I'm so glad you guys are back. Did everything go okay? No serious injuries or anything?"

"We're fine, Levy-chan," Lucy reassured her.

"Okay, good," the bluenette said in relief. "You'll tell me all about it later, right?"

"Of course," Lucy acknowledged. "As a matter of fact, you, me, Meredy, and Wendy should get together to talk about everything that happened this week."

"Awesome," Levy declared with a smirk. "I'll let the others know and we can discuss when we should get together."

"Hey, Levy-oba," Layla interjected, "tell Wendy-oba that I can babysit Anna and Riku whenever you guys decide to have your get together."

"Alright, I'll be sure to pass it on," Levy said. She smiled. "I'll see you guys later."

She went over to give a tight hug to Shiro before walking away, waving back at everyone as they said 'see you later'.

"I still don't see how you guys believe my mom is scary," Shiro commented as he watched his mother walk away. 

Jellal blinked. "Your mother isn't scary, Shiro-kun."

The teen grinned over at his friends. "See?"

"She's actually completely _ terrifying _."

Shiro let a scowl take over his face as the other teens laughed and Lucy hid a giggled behind her fingers. "Well, _ I've _never seen her that mad," he said to save face.

"Then you're lucky," Jellal said dryly. "You have a good head on your shoulders."

The laughter grew as Shiro honest to Kami-sama _pouted _before staring determinedly at the table, avoiding everyone's eyes.

"Anyway," Layla said as she got her laughter under control. "Mom, Dad, can Lyric come to our house tonight?"

"Sure, I don't have a problem with it," Lucy shrugged, Jellal nodding next to her. She looked at the black-and-pink-haired teen. "Just make sure you ask your parents and you can come with us when we leave."

Lyric nodding enthusiastically. "Okay!"

"Hey, can Shiro come over too?" Simon piped up.

The aforementioned teen looked up from the table, his eyes slightly wide. While he hadn't exactly expressed his desire to spend the night with his best friend and his sister, it didn't mean that he didn't want to.

Jellal glanced at the young Redfox. His slight hesitation was only noticed by his wife who prodded him subtly. "Okay," he said. "Sure, I don't see why not."

Lucy glanced at him from the corner of her eyes as the children began to make plans for their night and withheld a smile.

She and her husband were well aware of the crush Layla had on Shiro, had noticed well before Simon had found out. And while Lucy thought it was adorable, Jellal was in the opinion that it was a disaster of epic proportions.

But she noticed that even he couldn't fight a smile as he watched his children interact with their best friends about what they could do that night.

Lucy herself allowed a small but happy smile to appear on her face and rested her head on Jellal's shoulder.

_ It's good to be home. _

~wWw~

Layla yawned as she, her brother, their parents, and their best friends continued to walk along the path toward their house.

A few hours after Lucy and Jellal returned to the guild, they decided to return to their house, citing their reason for leaving as just wanting to be home after being away for so long.

After asking their parents and getting their approval, Shiro and Lyric tagged along with the Fernandes family for a sleepover.

Their residence was nestled in the forest that surrounds Magnolia, much like Natsu's and Happy's place. Layla heard her mother sigh when they managed to get close enough to see the place and saw her father's posture sag slightly as they moved closer.

_ They must be really glad to be home. _

Finally, they arrived and Layla wasted no time in hurrying inside before collapsing on the couch in the living room, her friends and brother following her lead.

Jellal chuckled as he shut the door. "Why is it that we're the ones that have been gone for a week but you four look more tired than us?" he asked, amusement heard clearly in his tone.

Simon grinned. "It's more like we're just glad to not come home to an empty house."

Layla nodded in agreement as her mom let out a laugh and moved to ruffle his hair. "Well, how about Jellal and I cook you all an early dinner?" she asked.

Shiro's eyes gleamed. Everyone loved Lucy's cooking. "Sounds good, Lucy-oba," he said, the Fernandes twins agreeing with him.

"But first!" Lyric exclaimed dramatically, her face one of glee. "We must properly welcome back Lucy-oba and Jellal-oji!"

Layla giggled. "Oh?" she asked. "And how do you suggest we do that?"

Lyric's grin grew wider before she skipped to the Lacrima Player sitting on one of the side tables next to the couch. "We _dance _!" she declared before turning it on.

"Uh, Lyric?" Simon interjected as the melody of a song begun to play. "I don't dance."

"Well, you do now!" she exclaimed as she grabbed his hand to draw him into a dance.

The song then started up in earnest, words being sung by the singer on The Lacrima Player:

_ "Fairy, where are you going? _

_ Hikari, zenbu atsumete _

_ Kimi no ashita terasu yo!" _

Lucy let out a delighted gasp. "Oh, I love this song!" she exclaimed.

Jellal took her hand. "Then will you do me the honor of dancing with me?" he asked with a grin.

"Always," Lucy smiled.

Layla couldn't hold back a squeal as she observed her parents. She felt someone take her hand and turned to see Shiro smirking softly at her. "Dance with me?"

Layla felt her face heat up. "S-Sure!"

Observing his parents beginning to dance to the song, as well as his little sister and best friend, Simon sighed and allowed Lyric to (reluctantly) drag him around in a dance.

_ "OH YEAH! Kikoeten no kako no koe wa? _

_ OH YEAH! Karetatte sakebu kara _

_ OH YEAH! Kikoeru made kimi no Kokoro ga _

_ OH YEAH! OH YEAH! _

Layla couldn't keep the blush off of her face as Shiro spun her around to the beat of the song. She caught a glimpse of her mother being dipped by her father, both of them with beaming smiles on their faces.

She saw Lyric leading Simon in an upbeat dance number that had him grumbling but a slight smile on his face betrayed his enjoyment.

Layla then concentrated on not stepping on Shiro's toes as the next chorus began playing.

_ "Tsuki to taiyou no haitacchi _

_ Wasuremono wanai desuka? _

_ Okashii na kimi ga inai to _

_ Hoshii mono sae mitsukaranai." _

Layla heard Lyric laughing and her father chuckling as they all danced to the song, and couldn't stop her own giggling as they all continued to dance in the living room.

_ "SNOWING, sunao ni _

_ Egao ni, nareta no wa _

_ Futari yorisoi _

_ Kasane atta "jikan" ga aro kara. _

_ "Fairy, where are you going? _

_ Hikari, zenbu atsumete _

_ Kimi no ashita terasu yo!" _

Layla felt Shiro pulling her over towards Simon and Lyric and saw her parents watching them with wide smiles.

The four friends grinned at each other before singing out the last lines of the chorus along with The Lacrima Player. "Don't say goodbye!" they sang, their harmonies all over the place but having fun regardless.

As the song came to an end, Layla glanced around at her friends and family.

Her mom and dad were alternating from staring at them and each other, the smiles never leaving their faces.

Lyric was proudly bragging about her dancing skills while Simon and Shiro were laughing with each other, their arms around their shoulders.

Seeing all this made Layla remember a conversation she had with her mother when she was little.

**~Flashback~**

_ "Mommy, why is our guild named Fairy Tail?" _

_ "Well, sweetie, the guild was named because of a question, and an answer, our First Master, Mavis, had thought of." _

_ "What was it?" _

_ "She wondered, 'Do fairies have tails? Do they even exist? Like them, this place is an eternal mystery...a never-ending adventure!'" _

_ "Wow, that sounds so cool! Our guild must be the best one out there!" _

_ "You'll have the chance to find your own adventure pretty soon, Layla. Just like all members of Fairy Tail." _

**~Flashback End~**

Looking around at everyone around her, she couldn't help but agree.

_ My mom was right. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is the end of Magic of the Stars. I hope you all enjoyed it!
> 
> However, just because this story is over, doesn't mean the adventures of Jellal, Lucy, and all their friends and family are over. I'm planning on writing a companion fic to this. It will be about missing scenes from this story.
> 
> And if there are certain scenes you want to see - weddings, proposals, births, certain get-togethers - just leave a comment and I might - 95% probability - incorporate your idea. 
> 
> No lemons though. I have no talent for those.


End file.
